


Pot Shots

by hazzardhusker



Category: The Dukes of Hazzard (TV)
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-30
Updated: 2015-10-29
Packaged: 2018-01-17 14:24:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 19
Words: 73,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1391041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hazzardhusker/pseuds/hazzardhusker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How many times can a person get shot at before their luck runs out?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I'm new to this site, but I've been introduced to it by another Dukes author and I really like it. This is the first Duke's fic I ever wrote and I hope ya'll like it. I'm always open to feedback as long as it's not nasty. I did a lot of medical research for this story so I hope I got is right. If not, please overlook any boo boos. Thanks for reading!

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 1

 

Howdy folks! Welcome to a bright, sunny, normal day here in Hazzard County. Those two fellas in that gaudy orange car are the Duke boys. They're cousins and best friends. Their car is the General Lee, and it's the fastest thing around. Normally Bo, the cute one with the blonde hair does the driving, but Luke, the handsome one with the dark hair can handle the General as well as anyone. Guess he thought it was his turn today. Now remember when I said it was a normal day here in Hazzard? Well, I hadn't gone swimmy headed. See, if the General wasn't chasin someone or being chased, it wouldn't be a normal day. Looks like today the boys are the ones doing the chasin. That car up ahead of them just got done robbing the Boar's Nest. Their other cousin, Daisy Duke, works there, and even though she tried to give the bad guys the money without a fight, they got a little too rough with her. She's ok, so don't worry, just a bit shaken up. She told the boys not to go after them, but they don't take kindly to strangers messing with family, especially when it's Daisy or their Uncle Jesse. So, here they are hot on the trail of the Boar's Nest Robbers.

 

"Bo, I think we're gaining on them," Luke said to his cousin sitting in the passenger seat beside him.

When they saw the man in the front right seat of the car in front of them lean out the window with a gun pointed in their direction, Bo agreed. "Yeah, seems they think we're gaining on em', too."

"I see it," Luke said, trying to swerve as the first bullet went through the General's windshield between the two occupants creating a hole.

"Yeah, I saw it, too. That was a little too close," Bo informed his cousin.

Having hit an uneven stretch of road, the next four shots fired flew aimlessly, missing the boys and their car by a mile.

"He's only got one shot left, and he's taking pot shots right now," Luke announced, having been counting.

"One's all it takes," Bo answered.

The pavement on the road evened out as the man leaning out the window squeezed the trigger. Luke heard glass breaking again as the last bullet hit the same target as the first, this time spiderwebing the glass. It wasn't as if this was the first time that they'd had a fleeing suspect shooting at them, and it certainly wouldn't be the first windshield they'd have to replace. If they caught the guys, Luke was sure that Boss Hogg, owner of the Boar's Nest, would foot the bill for the new glass, since it was his money they'd be retrieving. His thoughts now turned to what exactly he had to do to stop them. They'd been shot at so many times before, always eluding harm, that Luke never even considered the possibility that their luck might someday run out.

"That's it, Bo. That was their last shot. I'm gonna floor it, cuz," he said. He expected Bo to tell him to go for it, suggest jumping over them, anything, but he expected him to say something. "Bo?" he called with a sense of apprehension. When he didn't receive an answer, he turned to look at him, forgetting all about the bad guys in front of them.

Bo looked like he was sleeping, but Luke knew that it was hardly the time or place for a nap. He was still sitting upright, but his head was leaning toward the side of the car. He looked at the windshield, seeing the entry point of the second bullet. No matter how he tried, he couldn't deny that Bo had been directly in the trajectory path of that shot, yet he didn't see any visible wounds. "Bo!" he screamed, reaching over to give his cousin a shake. The motion caused Bo to lose his balance, and he slumped over towards Luke. The dark haired man's eyes widened in horror as he saw his baby cousin, now leaning against him. The right side of Bo's head was covered in blood. The wet, sticky stuff was matting his hair, and between the hair and the blood, Luke couldn't see the extent of the injury. All he knew was that Bo was laying against him with a possible bullet in his brain. He didn't even know whether his baby cousin was still alive. Turning the steering wheel hard left, Luke spun the General around in the direction of Tri-County General, Boss' stolen money and even Daisy's mistreatment no longer important. Heading in the right direction, Luke guided the wheel with one hand, finding it difficult to maintain control at speeds in excess of 120 miles per hour, but somehow he managed to do it. He had to. With his other shaking hand, he reached down and put his fingers against Bo's neck, looking for a pulse that he prayed was still there. Instead of finding a strong thumping, he located a faint fluttering. For the moment, Bo was still with him.

Luke wanted to be able to leave his hand on Bo, as much to support his cousin as to comfort himself, but he couldn't. He couldn't maintain control of the car for long using one hand without slowing down, and speed was the top priority at the moment. Luke had never wished he had four hands more than he did at that minute, two to drive with, one to CB for help, and the other to be able to keep on Bo. Using the CB was the least important, driving was the most, and from time to time, Luke would double check to make sure that the faint fluttering was still there. It was, but it was growing weaker by the minute.

"Oh God Bo, hang on. We're gonna get you help, buddy. Don't you dare die on me, Bo. Please don't leave me cousin," Luke pleaded, having to use his voice since his hands were occupied, hoping that some part of Bo could hear and would comply.

Luke sat in the waiting room of Tri-County General staring down at his hands. It was as if he were fascinated with them, looking at them for the first time. His hands had been covered with blood before, many times while he'd been in the Marines, but this time was different. This time the blood belonged to more than just a fellow solider or friend, it belonged to someone he loved, someone he doubted he could live without. This blood was Bo's.

The rest of the Dukes and Cooter arrived to find Luke still studying his hands. The amount of blood that still remained told them that the situation was not good. After the ER attendants ripped Bo away from him and he gave them all the information he could, he cb'd his family, but was so dazed that he really didn't tell them much. All they knew was that something had happened to Bo, and they needed to get to Tri-County's ER, fast. Seeing all that blood made them realize that this wasn't a little bump or bruise that Bo had sustained. If the red didn't tell them that, the despair on Luke's face did.

Uncle Jesse went to Luke and asked him how Bo was. Luke was almost non-responsive, saying they hadn't told him anything yet. The Duke patriarch didn't know whether Luke really didn't know anything or was too disoriented to relay the information so he went to the desk. When they told him that there hadn't been any word on Bo's condition, yet, he went back to Luke. Bo was being tended to, whatever was wrong with him. His other nephew was suffering from shock, hypnotized by the stains Bo left him with. He knew he couldn't let Luke sit there and stare at it any longer, so he and Cooter tugged him to his feet and started dragging him to the bathroom.

"No! I can't leave! What if they come to tell us something about Bo!" Luke started screaming.

"Luke, calm down," Uncle Jesse told him, wondering if he was going to have to resort to slapping him. "We'll only be gone a few minutes, you need to wash up. Daisy will be right here, and she will come get us if anyone comes out, right?" he asked, looking in his niece's direction.

"Yes sir," she answered.

"See, now c'mon," he said, as he and Cooter resumed their guidance.

Under the running water, Luke watched the sink turn bright red, then fade to pink as the blood and water mingled together until the water ran clear and his hands were clean. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything that they could do about the stains on Luke's clothes short of having him change. The right side of Luke's body from his waist to his knee was one solid color of red, and Uncle Jesse fought not to let his own imagination take over the way Luke's had. He knew that it was bad, but so far, he didn't know what had happened.

Getting Luke back to his seat, Jesse asked Cooter to get the boy a cup of coffee. After he'd taken a few sips, his uncle started questioning Luke about what had taken place.

"Luke, what happened?"

"They shot Bo," Luke said.

"Shot him?" the other three repeated.

Luke nodded. "Last bullet in the gun," Luke replied, thinking how ironic it was that they had made their final shot count.

After digesting what they had been told, Uncle Jesse had to ask. "Okay Luke, how bad was it?"

Luke looked at his uncle with tear filled eyes. "It was bad," he said, unable to hold back the tears anymore as he thought of how Bo had looked with all that blood on the side of his head. "He was hit in the head."

"Dear God!" Uncle Jesse gasped.

"Oh Bo!" Daisy cried.

Cooter didn't even have a response, he just squeezed his eyes shut.

When they'd received Luke's call, they didn't know what they'd find, but nothing could have prepared them for this. They thought that Bo had broken his arm or leg, or maybe a couple of ribs, something along those lines. They lived in Hazzard, Georgia, and they were ex-moonshiners turned farmers. They just didn't get shot.

Luke couldn't stop thinking about it. For as many times as they'd been shot at, some of the bullets whizzing by close enough to feel them, they still never thought something like this could happen. Escaping unscathed so many times must have made them think they were invincible, at least Luke. It was probably because of all the other bullets he had dodged in the jungles of southern Asia, in addition to the times they'd been shot at here at home. Bo still had a more healthy respect for guns, and he wondered if it hadn't been for himself, if Bo would have turned around at times rather than running right into the fire at Luke's urging. He wondered if this would have been one of those days, remembering some of the things Bo had said once they were being used for target practice. He also remembered Daisy telling them not to go after the guys. She hadn't been hurt, and she told them it wasn't worth the risk. Luke had been the one to assure her that they would be just fine, a promise he never imagined he wouldn't be able to keep. The more he thought about the events of that day, the more convinced he was that this was his fault.

Luke wanted to scream. He felt sure that his family blamed him, he blamed himself, too. The guilt was bad enough, but the thought of losing Bo was just something that he couldn't handle. Since the day Bo had come to live at the farm when he was just a baby, he and Luke had been joined at the hip. They were closer than brothers, and he couldn't imagine going through life without his fun-loving, blonde cousin at his side. He sat there, bargaining with God to either spare Bo or take him too, but not to split them up.

Much to their surprise, they didn't have long to wait before a doctor came out asking for them.

"How's my boy?" Jesse asked, looking for any information since Luke hadn't been able to tell him anything.

"Sir, your son is going to be transferred to Atlanta," the doctor told them.

"What?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"Why?" Luke wanted to know.

"Because he has a very serious head injury, and quite frankly, we don't have the resources here to even begin to diagnose or to treat it."

"Well, what ya'll been doing then for the past two hours?" Cooter asked in a somewhat rude tone. Being nasty was just not his style, but this doctor's attitude and voice were flippant, and that was the last thing that a family needed to deal with when they were wondering if one of their own was going to live or die.

Glaring at the younger man, the doctor replied. "Trying to stabilize him enough so that they don't lose him in the ambulance."

"Oh! Sorry," Cooter apologized.

"When are they taking him?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"They're loading him in right now."

Luke took off running in the direction of the loading zone. "I'm going with him," he yelled.

"They won't let him," the doctor told the three remaining family members.

"Well then, they'll have to try and stop him," Uncle Jesse informed him.

True to the doctor's word, the paramedics told Luke that he couldn't ride with them. It didn't dissuade him, and he climbed in anyway, saying they'd have to drag him out. Looking at each other, they shrugged, not having time to argue. Luke was told to stay out of the way as the doors closed and they started moving.

Once Luke was inside, he was told where to sit. From his perch, he could reach Bo's hand, and lifted it gently, cringing at how cold it felt. He looked up at his cousin's face, his eyes still shut and his hair still red from the blood. They hadn't taken the time to really wash it away. They only wiped it enough so that they could see what they were working on. Except for his hair, there wasn't that much that was still visible. The right side of his head had been bandaged up, hiding the evidence. Bo was a fair haired blonde with a naturally light complexion, but Luke had never seen him so white before. There was a fair complexion, and then there was a ghostly pallor, and that's what Bo had right then. His eyes were closed, and at least he didn't look like he was in pain. 'No,' Luke thought to himself, 'he doesn't look like he's in pain. He looks like he's dead.' Luke scolded himself for the thought, telling himself and Bo that he was going to be all right.

The hour long ride to Atlanta's Grady Memorial was filled with a few scary minutes. A couple of times, Bo had flatlined, but had always made it back before they had to use the shock paddles on him. It was as if he was determined to fight, despite the uphill battle he was surely facing.

"That's it, Bo. You keeping fighting, cuz," Luke told him, reaching for his hand when he was allowed to go back to his perch. He prayed that Bo's determination wouldn't begin to waiver. He was going to need every ounce of it to overcome the irregular and unsteady chirping machines.

Daisy and Jesse were following the ambulance, Daisy keeping up with them as well as if Luke or Bo had been driving. Cooter, however, had been asked to stop at the farm to get Luke a change of clothes. He couldn't very well go walking around with the ones he had on. It wasn't good for him, it wasn't good for them, and it wasn't good for anyone else with a loved one in the hospital. Uncle Jesse had already decided that once Luke was out of the garments, they were going directly in the trash. He doubted that any of them were going to want any reminders of that day, and he doubted that all of the stains could be removed, anyway.  
A little less than an hour later, they began another vigil in another waiting room. Unlike Tri-County's Emergency rooms and waiting areas, this one was full and had a revolving door as people came and went. It was a good hospital, but many of the victims of crimes in the city of Atlanta were brought there for medical treatment, and it made for an interesting variety of people. Though the Dukes lived only an hour away from Atlanta, they couldn't have looked more out of place. People around them gave them a second look, but the family was oblivious to anything except their thoughts and the clock on the wall whose minutes kept ticking by without any word.

The late afternoon sun had still been in the sky when the Duke family reached the Atlanta hospital. They were still waiting when it made another appearance the next day. Sixteen hours was a long time to sit in a chair, interrupted only by an occasional bathroom break, coffee run, or pacing. Everyone had dozed for a few minutes, except for Luke. He didn't have to be told that if they'd been working on Bo for that long, it was bad. Finally, a middle aged woman in a white coat came out asking for the family of Beauregard Duke.

"I'm sorry that it took so long," she apologized. "I'm Dr. Fitzgerald. Are you all here for Beauregard?" When they all nodded, she suggested that they go down the hall to a larger office. The consultation rooms off to the side were only designed for one or two family members.

"How's Bo?" Luke blurted out as soon as she opened the door and invited them in.

"Have a seat and I'll explain what I can," she replied, and they looked at each other, not encouraged by her statement. "I know that you're very anxious to hear about Bo. I wish I could give you better news, and I wish I could give you more, but right now there's only so much that I can tell you."

"What's that supposed to mean? You've been working on him since yesterday afternoon," Luke said, reaching his boiling point. Uncle Jesse patted his arm, and told him to calm down.

"I know that," she confirmed. "Unfortunately, head traumas and brain injuries aren't always able to be diagnosed in a day. Let me tell you what we do know. The bullet did not enter the skull." She waited as everyone let out a sigh of relief in hearing that. "So, that's good news. The bad news is that it's a little more serious than a graze, though that is what it almost resembles. Just a fraction of an inch, and it would have been little more than a scratch. It hit along the side of Bo's head without actually entering, but it left a wound that was deep enough to cause problems, and what's really bad is that it runs almost the entire length of the side of his head which is long enough to cause a lot of problems."

"What kind of problems?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"That's hard to tell right now. The location of the wound could very well have affected the temporal lobe, the right parietal lobe, and both the anterior and posterior of the right frontal lobe. Each of these areas of the brain control a different function. The two areas of the frontal lobe process reasoning capabilities as well as motor skills like the ability to walk, grab, swallow, blink, and just movements in general. The other lobes can affect memory, both short and long term, and other senses like smell, touch, taste, and hearing, and the ability to learn and to process what we learn. This controls simple things like speech, driving, getting dressed in the morning, anything that the brain processes even though we may not realize that it's doing it."  
"Oh my God!" Daisy cried, leaning on her uncle for support.

"Doc are you saying that Bo is going to be a...," Uncle Jesse couldn't bring himself to say the word vegetable.

The doctor knew what he meant. Family members often had a difficult time in referring to their loved ones in such a derogatory fashion, even though there were more politically correct terms that could be used. "Handicapped?" she asked, and Uncle Jesse gave her a nod. "I don't know," she replied. "As I said, any of these areas could have sustained permanent damage. It's also possible that he'll have none, although, with as many areas that are affected in Bo's case, that is highly unlikely. Which ones will be affected, and whether they'll be permanent or not, we won't know for a while. Besides running some initial tests which do indicate possible and permanent damage, we've had our hands full with just trying to keep him stable. He's not out of the woods just quite yet. One thing that we know was not affected was his ability to breathe because that he's doing on his own, though his heartbeat is irregular."

"So what happens now?" Luke asked, wondering if it could get any worse.

"Right this minute, we continue to try to stabilize him and to minimize any complications. Just like if I hit you with enough force, it will leave a bruise or cause the area to swell, Bo's brain is swelling. Unlike a swollen ankle, the brain is completely housed within a bone structure which means it doesn't have much room to work with. Too much swelling can cause additional damage to all areas of the brain, and we've got enough problems as it is that we don't need that to happen. There's fluid collecting on Bo's brain, too, so we've inserted a catheter to reduce that. If that doesn't work or the swelling continues, we may have to perform surgery. Right now, those are things that could happen, we don't know that they will so we're keeping our fingers crossed that they don't. Even slight swelling can interfere with normal functioning, that's why we can't say what would be permanent and what's temporary. Assuming that we don't have to fight any complications, it will probably be one to two weeks before the swelling starts to go down and we can begin figuring out what we're dealing with. During that time, the last thing that we can have is Bo moving around. If he were to wake and find out that he can't talk or swallow or move, he'd probably be very scared, and we don't want that so we've put him on a drug that's going to keep him in a coma until that swelling starts to subside."

Daisy was openly crying, and the men had tears in their eyes, fighting them back.

"I'm sorry," the doctor said. "I wish I had better news. Do you have any questions?"

"Can we see him?" Luke asked.

"Well, he's going to be in the ICU," she said, starting to explain their ten minutes per hour visitation rules. Looking at the devastation on their faces, she was filled with compassion. "I'll tell you what. I'll let the nurses know that one of you can be with him at all times, as long as you stay out of their way. If you make any trouble, they'll kick you right out."  
"Thank you," Uncle Jesse said, speaking for everyone.

Besides being a top neurologist, Dr. Fitzgerald was a fairly good judge of people. She had an ability to be able to look at them and size them up quickly and accurately. She had seen Bo's chart, and knew that they were from a little town outside of Atlanta. Judging by their apparel, she guessed they were hard working farmers. She didn't have to analyze too hard to see that they loved Bo, and like a lot of families did, were determined to be with him at all times. "If I may offer a friendly piece of advice," she said, hoping that she wasn't overstepping her bounds. "I know that folks believe that when someone is in a coma, they are aware of things around them and can hear people talking to them. I personally believe that they can, too, but as a doctor, there is no evidence that supports that theory. Right now, this is a shock to all of you, and I know that you really want to be here for Bo. I'm not suggesting that you don't visit him, far from it, but this first week or two isn't going to be the hardest. When Bo wakes up, that's when he's going to need you. I've seen this happen to families before, and sometimes they end up burning themselves out before their loved one really does need them. Be with Bo during this time, but make sure you take care of yourselves, too, or you won't be any good to him when it's most important."

"That makes sense," Uncle Jesse said. "Thank you for the advice. Now, can we see Bo?"

"Sure. I'll take you up to the 3rd floor. There's a waiting room for the unit up there, but remember, one at a time."

Uncle Jesse went first. He may have been on this earth longer than the rest of his family, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when he walked into that room. Knowing that he had to be strong for his baby, he pushed his own fears aside and concentrated on his nephew. By the time he got back to the others, he couldn't hide the signs that he'd had a complete breakdown.

Cooter went next, saying he'd only be a few minutes because he had to get back to Hazzard. He was almost as upset as Uncle Jesse when he came back out.

The men tried to persuade Daisy not to go, but she said she had to, for Bo. She wasn't able to stay long, and she made no effort to conceal her tears as she ran back to her uncle's arms.

That left Luke. Trying to heed the doctor's warnings, his family tried to convince him that he should go to see Bo and then go home with them, but that was like talking to a wall. Luke announced that he had no intention of leaving Bo alone, and that it wasn't up for discussion. He assured them that he would rest. There wouldn't be much else to do while he sat with his cousin. Though his reasoning held some amount of truth, they tried to explain to him that keeping a vigil wasn't a proper rest. Still, Luke didn't care. Reluctantly, Jesse and Daisy decided to go home, but said they'd be back later. They were going to have to remain strong to care for both Bo, and Luke, after he collapsed, too.

After bidding them goodbye, Luke went to Bo's room. He'd thought that he would be better prepared, considering that he had seen Bo when his face had been drenched in blood, and then in the ambulance when he looked like death warmed over. He wasn't. The blood had been wiped away, but even that didn't help. Luke hadn't thought it possible, but Bo was even whiter than he had been in the rescue squad. Bo's head was wrapped, and the right side was completely covered, but Luke could see that the golden locks his cousin was so proud of had been shaved away on half of his head. He wondered, for a minute, if it wouldn't have looked better if they had totally shaved it. It looked kind of strange, having hair on half and being bald on the other half. He knew that when Bo woke up and found that out, regardless of what else he had to deal with, the loss of his hair was going to upset him tremendously. "It'll grow back, buddy," Luke whispered to him, gently laying his hand on Bo's left cheek. He was being careful not to hurt him, but wanted him to know that he wasn't alone.

If his hair wasn't bad enough, his face didn't even resemble the Bo that Luke had known all his life. The right side was black and blue, looking as if Bo had been in the losing end of a bar-room brawl, but that wasn't the worst part. Bo's entire face was swollen, making his features almost unrecognizable. When Luke looked a little closer, he saw the tube that had been inserted into his cousin's head to remove the excess drainage. That was all that he could take. Luke plopped into the chair, and started sobbing. He didn't know how Bo was going to make it back to them from this condition, and for the first time, he realized that even if Bo's body survived, the Bo Duke that he loved might be lost forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sorry for taking so long to update. I've been out of town and simply had tons of things to get done. I will do my best not to take this long again!

Author's notes: First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement. I am still finding this extremely intimidating and terrifying, and now I only hope that I can live up to your expectations.

If you haven't already noticed, there's a lot of medical jargon in here. I'm not a medical professional, but I did try to research what I could on the subject so it sounds at least halfway correct. If I've missed something, I apologize, and there may be a couple of things that aren't exactly the norm, but they needed to be that way for the purpose of the story.

I will personally reply to all reviews and messages, and appreciate all your help, especially H.G. Stewart!

Disclaimer: No ownership rights implied and no infringements intended.

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 2

Two weeks later, Dr. Fitzgerald was happy to announce that the swelling in Bo's brain had started to decrease, and they had been lucky enough to avoid any of the complications that could have arisen. She re-ran a battery of tests, which she informed the family still showed a possibility of a variety of permanent injuries. She reminded them that these could still decrease or disappear as the swelling dissipated completely, but she didn't expect that to happen for another two to four weeks.

"The brain is the most complex and least understood organ in the body. Even though tests can show us which parts of a brain are affected in such an injury, even knowing the exact location won't tell us exactly what will be impaired. There's so much complexity involved, that we haven't even begun to be able to map out each individual cell, and case histories reveal that each cell is a little different in everyone. Therefore, the only way we're going to know for sure is when Bo wakes up, and since there's no reason to keep him in a coma any longer, we've stopped the drug that's been doing just that. I expect him to wake within the next forty-eight hours, and I really think that one of you does need to be here at all times," not that she anticipated that being a problem. Throughout the two week period, someone had been with Bo almost constantly.

After the first few days, the family convinced Luke to go home during the day while they were there. He was dead on his feet, but still he didn't want to. They only convinced him by reminding him that out of all of them, Bo was going to need him the most, and he'd only be hurting his cousin in the long run if he wasn't able to be there because he'd made himself sick. He knew they were right, and finally gave in, but he returned every night to sit in the chair beside his cousin. He spent the hours talking, singing, or reading to him. In the beginning, it had been hard to even touch Bo, fearing that he would hurt him. He had become very good at sliding one hand under Bo's and laying the other on top without disturbing the IVs. He could also touch Bo's arm or shoulder, or very lightly rub his cheek. His natural instinct was to lean over and kiss his forehead, but he didn't dare risk that. Bo had been so cold, so still, and so white that sometimes when he woke from an unintentional nap, he'd thought that Bo had already passed away. Sometimes, he would dream that he had, and when he woke and saw Bo's condition, it would take him a minute to comprehend that the heart monitor was still beeping. It had been sporadic and unsteady the first several days, but now beat in a normal fashion, alleviating one fear. The hardest thing to deal with, though, had been to look at Bo's battered and swollen face, no doubt being caused by the actual impact and injury, but also the swelling of his brain. It had gone down significantly, leaving a Bo that looked more like himself. His body wasn't cold to the touch anymore, leaving the blonde to feel like a living person rather than a dead corpse. They had also removed the catheter in Bo's head, which bothered everyone.

Now that they were expecting Bo to wake, Luke was there to stay. He prayed for a miracle, knowing that they'd need one, to have Bo open his eyes without any adverse effects. He knew that God was capable of granting such a blessing, but he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that he wasn't going to. Therefore, he prayed just as hard that God would give them the strength to help Bo, and Bo the strength to overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead.

Thirty-six hours after being taken off the zombie inducing drug, Bo's eyes flew open. Luke had been standing next to his bed, stroking his cheek and talking to him. He didn't know why he had felt the need to move into that position a few minutes before, but something told him to do so. It wasn't as if they had seen Bo's eyes working under the lids, or felt any movement from the young man lying there. It had been a feeling, the same kind of feeling Luke got whenever Bo was in trouble. He saw Bo's blue eyes for the first time in two weeks, and he couldn't stop the tears from falling. Those eyes were the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen in his life.

"Bo! You're awake. Welcome back, buddy!" Luke said, as his voice cracked.

His announcement alerted Uncle Jesse and Daisy, who rushed to the other side of Bo's bed.

Their joy was quickly replaced with fear, as Bo's own fear became evident. He may have opened his eyes, but nothing else except his head had moved. He hadn't spoken, nor had his hands or legs so much as twitched. What Bo was feeling or thinking wasn't exactly known because he didn't seem able to communicate with them, but Luke knew his cousin's eyes better than he knew his own. The size they had grown to and the way they darted around were speaking very clearly. He was scared, and he didn't know what was going on. His heart monitor started ringing loudly as his heartbeat and respiration shot through the roof. Bo wasn't the only Duke in that room who suddenly knew fear.

"Bo! Bo look at me," Luke told him, hoping that he could actually control the movements of at least his eyes. He was rewarded when Bo focussed on him as he'd requested. "I know you're scared, Bo. You've been hurt. You're in the hospital, but the docs are gonna fix you up good as new." Luke saw the look that Uncle Jesse and Daisy shot him, but didn't acknowledge them. He didn't know for sure that he was lying to his cousin, and right now, if that's what he needed, he'd tell him that he'd just won the Daytona 500 if it helped. He believed that God would forgive him, and later on, so would Bo. "We're right here, Bo. You're not alone. We all love you, and we're going to be right here with you. Can you understand me, Bo?"

Luke watched, and thought he saw an answer in Bo's eyes. He was afraid to jump to conclusions, scared that his mind might tell him that he was seeing what he wanted to see. Suddenly, he had an idea. "Bo, you might not be able to talk for a while using your voice, but I've got an idea as to how you can talk to us using your eyes. How bout one blink for yes, two for no. Can you do that?"

Luke held his hand as he inched his face close to Bo's. Daisy and Jesse leaned forward, too. Luke's idea had been a good one. They were guessing that Bo was unable to move or speak, but he might be able to understand. This was a way to find out what they were dealing with. They all assumed that it would be easier to treat not being able to function rather than not being able to think or comprehend. That was the one thing they weren't sure could be overcome. As they watched, they all saw Bo blink once.

"Okay Bo, that was real good, but just to make sure that we're understanding you correctly, I'm going to ask you another question, one that I know the answer to very well, okay?" Before he could ask what he wanted to, he saw Bo blink once again, and was encouraged that Bo's mind was still there. "Bo, do you like the name Beauregard?" Luke asked, then grinned. Bo's eyes shot Luke a dirty look, then closed, opened and closed again. "That's great, Bo. That's just great," Luke said, caressing Bo's cheek and releasing the first happy tears in a long river of sad ones.

Dr. Fitzgerald had been paged that her patient was awake. Luke told her that Bo could answer her with his eyes by blinking once for yes, twice for no. Complimenting him on his ingenuity and telling him that they did the same thing with patients, she asked them to step out into the hall while she checked Bo over. They could hear her asking him questions, which he must have responded to, and talking to him. Unfortunately, it was a one sided conversation, minus Bo's bubbly voice. Besides having a reputation as being one of the best neurologists in the country, she had a good beside manner, and they were grateful, hoping it would help put Bo more at ease. When she finished, she told Bo that she wanted to talk to his family, but that she'd send them right back. He must have blinked once, because she thanked him, then said they were going to find the best way to see that he got better.

She asked the Dukes to accompany her to an office down the hall. Luke said he'd be right back, running into Bo's room. "Well be right back, cuz. Ok?" he asked him. Bo blinked once, but Luke couldn't help but see the far away look in his blue eyes. Taking his hand in his, he told him that they'd get through this. "I promise, Bo, I'll be there every step of the way with you."

When they were seated across from the doctor, she confirmed their earlier suspicions. The way things stood right then, Bo was unable to move his arms or legs, and was unable to speak. He was able to understand and respond, so that was good, and he had shown some ability to move his head. They'd have to find out whether he was able to swallow very soon. If he wasn't, they were going to have to address the issue of nutrition, and if he couldn't eat, their only option was going to be a feeding tube. Luke thought that might actually kill his cousin, and prayed it wouldn't be necessary.

When they got back to Bo's room, he was asleep. Whether he'd fallen asleep on his own or they'd given him something, no one knew. By late evening, Jesse and Daisy announced that it was time for them to head out, promising to return early the next morning. Luke settled in for another night in the uncomfortable chair,wondering how long Bo would sleep. The oldest Duke boy hadn't had any intention of dozing himself, knowing that Bo had no way to alert him if he woke up, but the best laid plans are often broken, and before long, Luke nodded off. When he woke up, he saw Bo looking at him. His eyes weren't wild like they were earlier that afternoon. Now, they just held an incredible amount of sadness.

"Hey cuz, welcome back," Luke said, standing up and walking over to the bed. "Sorry I nodded off on ya. You been awake long?" Bo didn't respond with the his eyes, and Luke became worried that something had happened. "Bo?" he called, but still got no reply. Bo turned his head away from Luke, and it scared him. Gently turning Bo's head back to face him, he noticed the tears running down Bo's face. If it hadn't pulled at his heart so badly, Luke would have been glad, seeing that Bo's brain and tear ducts were still working in conjunction with each other.

"Oh hey, Bo! Don't cry, cuz. It's gonna get better, I promise."

To that, Bo did blink twice, saying no in response to Luke's promise.

"Bo, you can't be thinking that way. It's gonna get better. It's gotta, cousin. I can't loose ya, and I refuse to go on without you."

Bo squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out Luke's words in the face of an almost impossible situation. The only thing on him that really worked right was his eyes. How did Luke ever think he was going to recover from that? Bo doubted he'd be able to, and wished that God had spared him this by letting him die.

Luke couldn't stand there and watch it anymore. He knew what his cousin must be feeling, and how scared he must be. When they'd been young, Bo frequently woke up terrified after a nightmare. Most nights, Luke heard him while he was in the depths of the dream and would wake the little boy, bracing himself for the way Bo always bolted upright into his arms. On the rare occasion when he didn't hear Bo's turmoil, he didn't have to worry. As soon as Bo woke himself, he'd leap into Luke's bed, scooting as close as he could. There were times when it annoyed Luke Duke, but never enough to banish his cousin back to his own bunk. He just didn't have it in him to turn his back on the boy he thought of as a brother when he was scared, and being older didn't make it easier. The only difference was that when they'd been young, Bo's nightmares had only been dreams. This nightmare was real. Sliding down the rail to the bed, Luke gently moved Bo over to the other side to make enough room for himself. Then he laid down next to his cousin, sliding one arm under his back and laying the other across his chest, careful not to disturb anything or to hurt Bo's head. He laid his head half on his shoulder, half on the pillow, so that he was able to look up and see the midnight blue eyes. "I love you, Bo, and I'm not gonna let you go. You're a Duke, so am I. We're gonna fight this and we're gonna win, together." Tears continued to fall until Bo lost his battle with sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 3

Bo was kept in the hospital another few weeks to monitor his physical injuries, namely the wound from the gunshot. The swelling had gone down even further, and in answer to their prayers, Bo was able to swallow. They'd started him off on liquids, and everyone held their breath, praying that Bo wouldn't choke. It took a few tries, but he finally managed to get down what was being offered. He progressed from liquids to soft foods, and eventually to semi-solids. He didn't want to eat, but when he was told that they needed to make sure that he was capable of doing it, he proved that he could. Whenever it was some type of test, he passed, but when it was time to eat for self preservation, he refused. Only Luke could coax him into a few bites, and as he hand fed his cousin, he could see the look of embarassement, and what he thought was shame in his blue eyes. They'd always been open and upfront with each other about everything, but Luke had been sheltering him from a lot of things since his accident. This was one they needed to discuss so Luke decided to try the direct approach.

"Bo, you've gotta eat or you're gonna make yourself sick. You were skinny as a rail to begin with, it's not like you've got a lot to spare, and you've already lost weight."

Bo blinked twice.

"No? What do you mean no? You have to."

Again, Bo blinked twice and turned his face away so that Luke couldn't force feed him.

"You'd rather have a feeding tube?"

Two more blinks.

"Well then, open wide cousin, cause that's exactly what's gonna happen if you don't."

Bo faced his friend, but still wouldn't open his mouth. His eyes focussed on Luke's hand, and his caretaker knew what was really bothering his little cousin.

"You're feeling like a baby, right?"

One blink. Okay, at least that was a change.

"Bo, ya ain't a baby. You've been seriously hurt, and right now you need a little help, which I will gladly provide just as long as you stay with me. This is only temporary, Bo."

The blonde half of the duo gave him a sarcastic look.

Luke didn't need to hear the words to know what Bo was thinking. If their roles were reversed, he'd be thinking the same thing, wondering if he'd ever be able to do something as simple as feeding himself, again. Luke addressed Bo's doubt. "Of course you will! And you'll probably be better at it than you were before. Lord knows that you were a messy eater even before this happened."

Bo tried to maintain the firm stare, but found that he couldn't. Uncle Jesse and Daisy always said that he was sloppier than a two year old when it came to feeding his face, so it was ironic that he was going to have to re-learn that task all over again.

Luke saw Bo's eyes melting as he realized that the comment was funny. He decided to cash in on Bo's acceptance of the humor. "Yeah, Uncle Jesse and Daisy are already requesting that whoever teaches you to feed yourself this time does a better job than the last teacher, and that was you."

Bo couldn't help it, what Luke said was comical. His mouth curved upwards and he laughed. The boys were both surprised by what had happened, hearing Bo make a sound for the first time in over a month. Bo's eyes got wide, and his mouth opened to match. Luke stared for a minute, than his eyes began to water.

"Bo! You laughed. That's wonderful. See, you're gonna be getting better everyday just like I told you," he said, sliding his arms around his cousin to hug him. When he pulled up, he saw that Bo was blinking in increments of two furiously. "No? No what?" Bo made a face that Luke understood. "No, don't cry?" Bo blinked once. "Bo, these are good tears, trust me." To that, Bo again blinked once, confirming that he had always trusted his older cousin implicitly. Luke nodded, leaning over him and planting a kiss on Bo's forehead. There were no amount of blinks to convey Bo's surprise at Luke's outward show of affection. He could remember Luke doing that to him when he had been little, but that had been a long time ago. Bo was one of the few people who really knew how affectionate Luke could be, but this affectionate was more than even Bo had ever seen from his somewhat reserved cousin. .

One thing was certain, Bo's vocal chords worked. The trick was getting them to work in unison with his brain.

Hearing about Bo's fit of laughter, the doctor was also encouraged, telling the family that she thought it would be possible to teach Bo to speak again. In fact, it was time that they talked about Bo's future.

Sitting in another office with Dr. Fitzgerald, the family prepared to discuss just what was going to happen to Bo.

"Mr. Duke, I'm not going to be able to keep him here much longer," Dr Fitzgerald told them.

"But, he's still hurt," Daisy interrupted.

"Daisy, he still needs care, but not the kind that a hospital provides."

"Well what kind of care are we talking about?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"Bo needs rehabilitative services right now, not immediate medical care. I'm thinking that he'll be ready to be released in three or four days, and I need to know what arrangements you want me to make."

"What would you recommend?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"Unfortunately, there's no facility equipped to deal with Bo's needs near Hazzard. I've already checked, assuming that you would want him as close to home as possible. There are a few here in Atlanta. If you'd like I can give you the addresses so that you can tour them, and then let me know which one you think would work best."

"Bo's coming home. Right, Uncle Jesse?" Luke informed the good doctor then turned to his uncle for confirmation.

"Well, I don't know, Luke. We have to do what's best for Bo," the old man replied.

"Luke, I've seen how close you and Bo are, and I think it's amazing. I hope that you plan on being around for him because I know that he's going to need you, but I'd have to advise against taking Bo home," the lady doctor interjected.

"Why?" Luke asked defiantly.

"Because he does need care, and he needs rehabilitation."

"Well, I don't see why we can't care for him. I mean, I'm sure anything that he needs, you could show us how to do, and as far as rehabilitation, we could get someone to work with Bo at home."

"Luke, I don't think you fully appreciate the amount of routine care Bo is going to need. Right now, he can't do anything for himself. He can't dress himself, feed himself, bathe himself, get to the bathroom. All the things that we take for granted, Bo has to either have someone do for him or help him with. That's a 24/7 job."

"We can do it," Luke said, not giving an inch.

"Luke, be reasonable, please. In a staffed facility, they change shifts three times every twenty-four hours. Even if you guys did the same thing, each one of you would be responsible for Bo eight hours of every single day without a day off. It'd be overwhelming."

"I understand all of that, doctor, really I do, but besides the kind of care you're talking about, Bo needs to be around his family. He's facing some pretty big odds here, and he's gonna need all the love and support he can get, and no matter how good a trained staff is, they can't provide the kind of love for Bo that his family can."

"That's true," said the doctor, finally agreeing with something Luke Duke was saying. "That's why I tried to find someplace closer to your home, but Atlanta is only an hour away, and you'd still be able to visit him. Though, if you continue to keep the kind of hours you've been spending with us, you're gonna end up as a patient and not a guest," she informed him.

"I'm fine," he snorted.

"Luke, maybe Dr. Fitzgerald is right. Maybe it would be best for Bo if he were to have the proper care, and we provide the love by visiting," Uncle Jesse said, trying to difuse his eldest nephew's temper before he lost it with the person who may have very well saved Bo's life.

Unfortunately, it was too late. Luke was going to be mad at someone, and for saying what he just did, it was going to be their uncle. "Uncle Jesse, Bo is never going to recover if you send him to a place with strangers. You know that, and I know it! He knows he's been hurt and he's in a hospital, but he's already hinted that he wants to go home." The doctor looked at Luke, wondering how that was possible since Bo couldn't talk, and that couldn't be said with a simple yes or no. "You tell him he's going to a home..."

"Not a home, Luke, a rehabilitation center," the doctor corrected, knowing that the word 'home' conjured up bad images.

"Whatever," Luke snapped, dismissing her correction. "Home, center, call it Eden, I don't care, and neither will Bo. You tell him that instead of going home, he's being shipped off to a place that he might never get out of, he'll give up on himself, and he'll die."

"He's got a point there, doc," Uncle Jesse stated in agreement. "My youngest does hate hospitals, and out of the three kids, Bo's always needed his family the most. He's the only one of the young-ins who's always said he never had any inkling to leave home."

"Look," Luke said, hoping that his uncle was coming around, "I know that this is a big decision, and that taking Bo home will be a hard job. I understand if you or Daisy don't want to do it, but there is no way I'm gonna let you send Bo away. If you're worried that it might be too much work, don't be. I'll take care of him myself, and if you don't want him around, I'll find a place for us. I don't know how, but I will. Bo's coming with me, whether that be back to the farm or to a place of our own, but there is no way I'm letting you send him off to an institution," and with that remark, he glanced briefly at the doctor, before returning his gaze to his uncle. "There's no way I'm letting you send him away where he'll die!" Having made his intentions known, Luke stopped talking and folded his arms over his chest.

"Now, you wait a minute, boy!" Uncle Jesse yelled back at him. "Don't you dare make this sound like I don't want Bo at home cause I think he'll be too much work. Work ain't never scared me before, but it ain't never been this important before. I was only thinking of Bo's best interests. Just make sure that you're doing the same thing!" he finished. Out of the three kids, Bo was the most stubborn, but Luke had always been the most headstrong. When he made up his mind about something, there wasn't any changing it, and he could see from his eldest's stance and heard it in his tone of voice, he was taking charge here. When he thought about it, it only made sense. As the oldest, he'd been somewhat taking care of Bo his whole life. Now that Bo needed him more than ever, it was the only thing he could do, and he knew enough about his nephew to know that he'd carry out his threat, too. Jesse hadn't cared for the way Luke presented his argument, but he knew that he was probably right. Sending Bo away would only depress him, and he didn't need to be familiar with specific therapy to know that a severe case of the blues could prevent him from working too hard to get better.

Before he could respond, Daisy finally joined the conversation. "Uncle Jesse, I think Luke's right. You know that sending Bo away would only get him real down. I think he belongs with us, too, and I certainly don't mind helping to take care of our little boy."

Luke winked at her as if to say thanks, and she gave him a smile.

"Mr. Duke," the doctor butted in, trying to talk only to Jesse. The kids were making a decision that hadn't been well thought out, and she hoped to appeal to the older man's sense of wisdom thanks to age.

"Doc, the kids is right. Bo would not be happy, and he probably would make himself even worse. I've always taught my young-ins that family was the most important thing in the world, and that family sticks together. I can't turn my back on Bo when he needs me the most, so you just let us know what we have to do to make sure that Bo will get the best care and teachings that he can, at home."

"Thank you, Uncle Jesse," Daisy said, throwing her arms around him.

"Thank you sir," Luke said, doing the same.

"No, I should be thanking you for reminding me of what was important."

"Mr. Duke, you have the most loving family I have ever seen. As a doctor, we know that love can cure things that even modern medicine can't. That being the case, Bo can't help but recover with all of you loving him so much." She paused, and Uncle Jesse looked at her, a twinkle in his eye as he patted Daisy's arm than Luke's. "That being said, I can arrange for a therapist to visit your home and work with Bo there. As far as his actual care, I'll have one of the nurses meet with all of you a little later to go down the list, and to teach you a few things that you're going to have to learn. It's a long list, trust me," she said, getting up from behind the desk.

"Let's go tell Bo! He'll be so excited," Luke said, as they all thanked the lady doctor.

The three Dukes stumbled into Bo's room, acting like little kids at the playground rather than grown-ups in a hospital. Bo turned his head to look at them, and gave them a small smile. Though no one had said it, they all thought it was strange. Bo's injury had been to his head, yet that seemed to be the only thing working on him. He could eat, he could smile, he could laugh, he could see, he could blink, he could hear, he could cry, and he could obviously understand what was going on around him, and depending on the appropriate response, he could give it. Yet, the limbs that were the furthest away from his head didn't work at all. They would have though it would have been the other way around, but understood, it was best that things had worked out the way they had.

They all rushed over to Bo's bed, letting Luke have the honors. "We've got good news, buddy." Luke paused, waiting the right amount of time it would have taken Bo to ask what, if he could have. "They're springing you!" Luke yelled. Bo looked at him funny, so he decided to rephrase the remark. "You're getting out of here, cuz."

Everyone expected Bo to be happy about the news, but instead he seemed fearful. Luke, Daisy, and Uncle Jesse all looked at each other, not understanding Bo's unusual reaction. He hated hospitals. This should have been the best news he'd heard since he had woken up, but here he was, looking anything but happy.

"What's the matter sugar? Don't you want to come home?" Daisy asked him, and he turned his head to look at her. "We sure miss you honey, don't you miss us?"

Bo certainly didn't want to hurt Daisy, or any of his family. Besides blinking his yes and no responses, Bo could also nod and shake his head a little, and his head was nodding right then. Of course, he missed them. He didn't want them to think that he didn't. He was just surprised. In his current condition, he never expected to be going home. He expected them to ship him off somewhere. In fact, he'd heard a couple of the nurses talking about it themselves, saying that he was going to be a lot of work, needing round the clock care.

"You do want to come home, don't ya Bo?" Uncle Jesse asked.

Again Bo nodded, turning to look at his uncle.

"Then what's the matter, Bo?" Luke asked, knowing it was probably a silly question because it couldn't be answered negatively or affirmatively. Somehow, that didn't matter. Luke was finding out that he did indeed know his cousin very well, and he was able to surmise what the boy was thinking and feeling most of the time, prying it out of him without words.

Bo was trying to tell Luke by looking down at himself, than looking up at him, but Luke hadn't caught his train of thought.

"I'm sorry buddy, this one I'm not following," he said, taking Bo's hand in his. "Hey! We could try spelling it." Bo nodded, and Luke began going through the alphabet until the word 'work' had been formed. "Work? Is that the right word?" Bo nodded. "Don't tell me you're wanting to actually go back to work?" Luke laughed, "not the Bo Duke who's always trying to get out of chores?"

Bo rolled his eyes, but chuckled when he thought about it. It was funny when Luke pointed it out, and it was true. However, it wasn't what Bo was trying to tell them.

As the Dukes giggled over the idea that Bo actually wanted to do chores, Bo wanted to get Luke's attention. He knew that Luke was holding his hand, and he willed his finger to move. Guessing by Luke's reaction, he must have accomplished it.

"Bo! Hey! Were you purposely trying to move something?" Luke asked him, and Bo nodded. "What?" Luke wanted to know. Bo looked down at his hand, indicating to his cousin that his fingers wiggling wasn't an involuntary action, though right now, even that would have been welcomed. To date, no one had seen Bo's arms or legs even twitch, voluntarily or involuntarily.

Luke was becoming more emotional than either of his cousins, crying at the drop of a hat at every little thing. "Well, it worked, Bo. It worked," he told him, squeezing Bo's hand, as more tears welled up in his eyes. It still surprised the younger Duke, though he knew he should be getting used to it. Luke was getting real good at losing control of his carefully guarded emotions, and crying over him, a lot, which he didn't like. The blonde started shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah, Bo, I know. You don't want me crying. Sorry buddy, I've got a newsflash for you, I can't help it. This has been a great day, you're coming home and you're getting better every day. If that ain't worth crying for, I don't know what is."

Okay! Just what will happen to Bo once he gets home? Will he get better or will he have a relapse?


	4. Chapter 4

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 4

BO GOES HOMES

It was a beautiful, spring day when Bo's family finally wheeled him out into the sunshine. They'd been given three days time to prepare for Bo's arrival, and no one realized how much stuff they were going to actually need. They figured that a wheelchair was going to be in Bo's future until he could learn how to walk. Restraint bars and other devices had not been counted on, but Dr. Fitzgerald managed to find them relatively new ones at used prices. She knew that they weren't rich, and the hospital's administrator had already wanted to transfer Bo to the low-income hospital a couple weeks back. The good doctor intervened, saying that they couldn't provide the care he needed, and as his doctor, she wasn't authorized to work there. Getting no cooperation from Bo's primary physician, he'd had no choice but to turn his threats to the Dukes, telling them that he was going to sue them if they didn't pay off their debt. Uncle Jesse assured him that they would make monthly payments, he just never said how much those would be. He couldn't have cared less at that point what the man did to him. Bo was alive, and he was going home, and that was all that mattered.

Daisy stayed behind at the farm, finishing up for her cousin's homecoming. Everything was ready, but that was just an excuse. They thought that it would be easiest and safest to get Bo in and out of Uncle Jesse's pickup truck, but the cab only held three people. Jesse had to be there to sign all of Bo's forms, and there was no way they'd get Luke to sit this one out. Therefore, it made more sense for her to stay behind so they didn't have to worry about where to put her.

When Bo was loaded up and buckled in, something they didn't always do but we're going to have to get used to, Uncle Jesse pointed the truck in the direction of Hazzard. They knew they'd be back in Atlanta from time to time for doctor's visits, tests, and other things that Bo might need, but after spending so much time in the big city, it felt good be going home, and not just for Bo.

The blonde was looking out the window of the truck as if he were seeing everything for the first time. In a way, he supposed he was. Except for the time when Luke was off fighting for his country, Bo had led a rather sheltered life. They ran from Rosco's planted speed traps and Boss Hogg's schemes to land them in jail, but his sense of safety had never been tested quite like this. It wasn't that he didn't know death, he did, in an indirect way. His parents had been killed when he was a baby, and his aunt had died when he was young, too. He understood that death and dying were very real. He feared death, often waking up after having a nightmare about someone he loved dying, but he never really thought any of them would, including himself. Now, he was going to have to really learn what it meant to live after almost being denied the chance. Unfortunately, he had more to learn than most folks who had a brush with a near death experience. His learning didn't focus just on how he perceived things, he really did have to re-learn how to function, and that thought dampered the slight smile he had been wearing.

Luke had been watching him closely, seeing the world for the first time through Bo's eyes. He had an inkling as to what Bo was probably feeling, and when he saw the smile leave his lips, he assumed he was thinking about the long road ahead of them. Luke slid his arm around Bo's back, and helped him so that he could lay his head on his shoulder. "It'll be ok, Bo. You'll see. We'll get through this together." Before they were half-way home, Bo was asleep.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((  
Daisy Duke was waiting for them on the porch when she saw her uncle driving up the path. She smiled, seeing that the vehicle was only traveling at a fraction of the speed it normally did. She hoped that Bo didn't mind being treated like he was made of glass because that's exactly how they all felt. Luke wasn't the only one that was ecstatic to have the baby cousin back home. She'd been looking forward to it since they'd made the decision in the doctor's office. She loved both of her cousins dearly. Luke was older, her protector, her rock. Bo was younger, he was the one that she played with, joked with, and told things to that she didn't share with anyone else. Bo had always been emotional and sensitive, and she knew that he better understood and dealt with feelings, his own and those of others. They hadn't spent too much time at the farm since Bo had been shot, but the house was just too quiet without him. She thought back to the conversation that they'd had with Dr. Fitzgerald about putting Bo in a home, despite what she had called it. She still couldn't believe that Uncle Jesse had actually considered it, and she was glad that Luke had stood his ground. He had been right, Bo would have died there, probably a long, slow, and agonizing one, but he would never have recovered, no matter how good the staff was around him. Like Luke, she didn't want him there, anyway, and she vowed to help her oldest cousin share the work of taking care of Bo until he was well. They'd decided to bring him home, now they had to make sure that he was cared for, and they all loved Bo so much, she didn't think that was going to be hard. They'd probably all be tired, having to keep up with the house and the farm, and covering for Bo's share plus caring for him, but the goal of seeing a happy, healthy Bo Duke was well worth it.

Luke shook Bo slightly to wake him up, not because there was anything he could do to help get himself out of the truck, but simply because he didn't want to scare him when he picked him up. Luke slid his arms under Bo, and made sure that he had a good grip on him. This was the one of the hardest parts in caring for Bo, since the youngest Duke couldn't help and couldn't wrap his own arms around his eldest sibling to help ensure that he didn't fall. Still, Luke was learning just how to do it to provide the most comfortable position for Bo and to be sure that he wouldn't slip. Uncle Jesse got the wheel chair out of the back, and only when Luke had Bo inside, did he put him down in it. He never bothered to ask if Bo would have preferred to go straight to bed. He figured he'd been in a bed for the past several weeks. Sitting up and being around the family in a normal environment would be good for Bo, and he didn't seem to be protesting. When he was in the chair and strapped in, all of them went to Bo, hugging him, crying, and welcoming him home. The only way he could reciprocate their affection was to use his lips to kiss their heads or their cheeks.

(((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((((  
As darkness fell on the Duke farm that night, so it had fallen over Bo's mood. He hadn't even been home a full twenty-four hours, and he couldn't believe how much work he had caused his relatives. It wasn't just the demanding physical needs, one or all of them were always hovering over him, afraid to leave him alone. That was a ridiculous notion, he told himself, since he couldn't exactly run off. No one complained, it was just the opposite. He hadn't went five minutes without someone telling him that they loved him or that they were glad he was home, and he did feel loved. He also felt guilty, wondering how long it was going to take before one of them collapsed from exhaustion. He couldn't even imagine how they were going to keep up this type of a grueling schedule, between the farm and him. He was most worried about Luke. The oldest cousin seemed to be taking this the hardest, and had appointed himself as Bo's twenty four hour companion. The problem was that he couldn't talk to Luke, he couldn't tell him that it wasn't his fault and that he didn't have to do this. He'd been quite aware that Luke had spent almost every minute since he'd woken up with him. He was already running on empty. The last thing he could handle was seeing Luke make himself sick.

"C'mon buddy. You've had a long day. Let's get you to bed," Luke said, waiting for Bo's approval. When he got it, he wheeled his cousin into the room they'd shared their whole lives. Luke bent down to take off Bo's boots, then proceeded to undress him. He was getting to his jeans when he looked up to see a river of tears flooding Bo's cheeks. "Hey Bo! What's the matter, buddy?" he asked, only frustrating Bo more since he couldn't respond. "It'll be ok, Bo. It's only been one day. It's going to get better, you'll see." Luke told him, not thinking much about it since Bo cried every night.

Luke looked over at their beds, each butted up against opposite walls, separated by a dresser. He didn't know why he hadn't thought about it before, considering that he'd been sleeping with Bo in his hospital bed, holding him as he cried himself to sleep. That bed had been small enough, theirs were even smaller. Somehow, he'd never thought about their sleeping arrangements, but now that it was time to turn in, it was obvious that Bo still needed him at night.

"Wait a minute, cuz, I got an idea," he said. He called to his uncle to help him rearrange the furniture. Uncle Jesse saw what he was doing, and didn't protest. He knew it was just as much for his oldest nephew's sake as it was for his youngest. When Bo had been little, he'd spent more time in bed with Luke, or vice versa, than they did in their own. It was only natural for them, and he knew that Luke had been holding him through the night in Atlanta. If they had both been healthy, and Luke was pushing their beds together, he might have been worried. Under the circumstances, he wasn't. When they were finished, the dresser had been moved into the corner where Luke's bed had been, and his bed was now butted up to Bo's. Between himself and the wall, he doubted that there was any way Bo could fall out, especially since he couldn't turn himself over. Thanking their uncle, Luke finished taking off Bo's jeans, than helped him into the old sweat pants he wore before ridding himself of his own clothes. Reaching down, he lifted Bo into his arms, then laid him in his bed, crawling in beside him. After arranging them both so that they were comfortable, and pulling the blankets up, Luke kissed the top of Bo's head.

"Goodnight, little cousin. I love you, Bo."

Bo responded by exerting a little pressure from his finger against Luke's arm.

"I know, Bo," he told him.

Reality hit Bo Duke in the wee hours of the morning in a very unpleasant way. As if Bo didn't feel bad enough as it was, he woke up in the middle of the night having to go to the bathroom. In the hospital, he'd had a catheter, and since he'd been home, Luke knew to ask him every so often if he had to go, but this they hadn't thought of. He tried to wake up his cousin by pressing his finger, but Bo's touch was so light and Luke was so sound asleep that he couldn't get his attention. In his predicament, Bo did something that he had never even done as a child. He couldn't have been more embarassed.

When Luke woke up the next morning, he planted another light kiss on the top of his cousin's head, then noticed that Bo's eyes were open. "Morning Bo. You're awake early. You ok?"

When Bo refused to look at him, he became concerned. "Bo, what's the matter?" It didn't take long for him to discover the source of the problem. "Oh!" he said, and actually grinned. "Is that what's bothering you?" Bo stole a glance at him. "Well, don't worry about it. Accidents happen, and it's my fault. I should have set the alarm or something." Luke said, telling him that he'd get him up, showered, and dressed, and then throw the bedding in the washing machine. He was pretty sure he could bribe Daisy into providing them with clean sheets.

No matter how hard Luke tried to dismiss the incident, Bo was uncomfortable around him all morning. He decided to pretend like he didn't notice and that it never happened. He distracted Bo by informing him that they had shown him a few exercises they could work on until he was actually assigned a real therapist, and that they were going to start that morning.

"Sorry Bo. I know that the little gal they'll probably send will be a lot better looking than me, but until she gets here, you're stuck, buddy."


	5. Chapter 5

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 5

MEET MS. BILOXI

Luke worked with Bo the two days before they were expecting an actual therapist. They hadn't shown him too many exercises, knowing that Bo was getting a professional in a short period of time, but the ones they had shared with him, he took seriously. A lot of it involved more muscle massages than exercises, especially in the legs and the feet. For Bo's hands, he'd been given a soft ball to squeeze. At first Luke thought it was rather ridiculous since he couldn't even make a fist to hold the thing, but then they explained that until he could, the person working with him would have to put their hand over his and manipulate it. To Luke's surprise, it seemed to be working. Bo was able to move his toes, at times, which was more than he'd been doing, and he was gaining strength in his hands. Luke hadn't been told anything to do in conjunction with Bo's speech, and he wondered exactly how that would work. From brain to vocal chords, there wasn't anything tangible you could touch or massage, and what could you say to make a person learn how to talk again, when they could comprehend very well? Luke doubted that Bo's brain was telling him not to talk. He just couldn't obey the command. However, he had spoken one word since the ordeal started, and no one was surprised that it was 'Luke.' It must have come naturally to him, because he had not only said it, he had repeated it several times. Luke couldn't begin to even describe how it made him feel.

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Three days later, bright and early, there was a loud knock on the door. They hadn't been expecting anyone. The agency told them that they were sending a therapist for Bo the following day, and no one would have believed that someone working with handicapped patients could possibly strike wood as hard as the person standing outside. Luke had just finished feeding Bo his breakfast, the little of it that he ate, and was busy wiping off his face. Daisy had started on the dishes so Uncle Jesse went to see who was abusing their portal.

"Hold yer horses, I'm coming," he groaned, throwing open the door. "Can I help you?" he asked, staring at the stranger that was on their porch.

"I'm Bertha Biloxi," she announced, as if that name should mean something to them. When Jesse didn't respond, she added, "I'm here to work with a...Beauregard Duke. I'll be his therapist."

"Oh," Uncle Jesse replied meekly, still looking her up and down.

"Didn't the agency tell you I was coming?" she asked in a gruff voice.

"Yes, no, I mean, yes they said someone was coming, but they told us that they'd be starting tomorrow. We weren't expecting you today," Uncle Jesse explained.

"Well, no time like the present," she informed him.

"Ah yeah. Well, come on in," he invited her, opening the door and moving so that she could get past him. He looked at his kids, as they looked at him, and then to their guest.

Bertha Biloxi was an older woman, but not exactly what you would call the grandmotherly type. She was tall and stocky, and resembled Jesse's own body shape. Her hair was black with streaks of gray, pulled back in a bun so tight that it only emphasized her chiseled features. There was nothing soft about her, and Luke thought she resembled one of his old Marine Drill Sergeants. The Dukes were somewhat shocked at what the agency had sent, wondering if this woman were really capable of working with someone in Bo's condition. She didn't look like the nurturing type, but they figured that the people who sent her must know what they were doing. The only thing that mattered was that she help their youngest.

Bo, on the other hand, was not thinking quite so logically. His eyes were big as saucers as he looked at the woman who was going to be working very closely with him, trying to get him back to where he was before a pot shot changed his entire life. He wasn't thinking about how good she was at her job. He was thinking to himself that she looked mean, and he feared she was quite capable of hurting him.

As they were sizing her up, she was also sizing them up, and what she saw, she obviously didn't approve of. She scrutinized Bo, as if confirming his suspicions that she was there to cause him bodily harm.

Coming to his senses first, Uncle Jesse introduced himself. "I'm Jesse Duke, Bo's uncle, those are his cousins, Daisy and Luke, and that handsome young man over there is Bo."

"Beauregard?" she questioned, and Luke didn't have to look at his cousin to know that she'd already made an enemy.

"Ma'am, he goes by Bo," Luke told her.

"My patient file here says that his name is Beauregard," she hissed.

"That's his legal name, but he doesn't like it. He goes by Bo," Luke said sternly, and she raised her eyebrows at the tone the young man was using with her.

"Well fine," she said. "Shall we get started, Bo?" She stood there for a minute as if she expected him to answer. Bo looked at Luke, who put a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Sure, Bo's ready," Luke told her. "Do you want to work in the living room?"

She looked in the direction he was pointing, and informed him that it would be acceptable. Luke started to wheel Bo into the other room, but Bertha stopped him. "You're going to have to learn to not answer for him. It'll only make things harder," she said.

Luke was about to give her a good tongue lashing, reminding her that Bo was unable to speak, and that's one of the reasons she was there. As he opened his mouth, Uncle Jesse cleared his throat. It got Luke's attention, and he looked at his uncle, who was shaking his head, telling him not to say anything. Luke closed his mouth per his uncle's request, but knew that if she kept talking like that, it was only a matter of time before he would really let her have it.

When Bo was in the middle of the room, and his chair was locked in place, Bertha asked Luke to leave them. "I like to work alone with my patients. Family members often distract the patient and hinder our progress."

Luke didn't like the idea, but he didn't want to adversely affect their sessions, either. He saw Bo looking at him, begging with his eyes not to leave him alone with Nurse Battleaxe. He may not have been able to form the words he was thinking, but his eyes told Luke exactly what was going on in his mind. Bo was convinced that the reason she wanted to be alone with her patients was so that she could take her time when she murdered them. Luke grinned, being able to hear Bo saying it just as if he had. He knew him so well that he not only knew what he would say, but how he would say it. He laid a hand on his shoulder, then whispered in his ear, "I won't be far." He wished them a good session, then went to join the others in the kitchen, who had also been watching what had been taking place. Bo was whimpering as he left, and once again, he called for his cousin by name. "Luke." It broke his heart to have to leave him, but if it meant Bo would get better faster, it was just the way it had to be.

"See! I knew you could talk," she told him, and not in a pleasant way.

The three Dukes in the kitchen looked at each other, not knowing exactly what to make of Bo's new friend.

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Bertha Biloxi was not exactly well liked in the Duke household, and that didn't say anything about how Bo really felt. He genuinely seemed afraid of her, and no one else really trusted her. Not wanting to upset Jesse, Luke and Daisy agreed amongst themselves that one of them would be within ear shot any time she was with Bo. They couldn't believe that she'd actually hurt him or do something to him, but they were more worried that at some point, Bo might become agitated or upset.

Besides keeping an eye on Bo, Luke was carefully watching what she was doing with him so that he could repeat the same exercises after she had gone. She was working with him everyday from eight to noon. Then they'd give him lunch, settle him down for a nap, and when he woke, Luke would work with him a little before dinner. After they ate, they'd do a little more, and Bo was getting better in his motor skills, though she wasn't doing much with his verbal ones. Luke also believed that Bo's progression didn't have as much to do with her as with the exercises. They'd watched Bo, and when he was fearful, he was rather obstinate with her. Sometimes, he wouldn't cooperate at all, and she had a not so pleasant way of calling him lazy, which would only make him madder and more determined not to do what she said. However, when Luke was coaching him, he worked dilligently, and that's where the improvements were stemming from.

Unfortunately, he hadn't picked up anything on how to help Bo learn to talk again. Two weeks, and all he could say was Luke's name.

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The animosity between teacher and student grew a little everyday, and it was bound to erupt. Bo's temper was known to blow, just like that of a volcano, and he was becoming less afraid and more angry with Attila the Hun. She treated him poorly, as if he wanted to be like this. She belittled him and goaded him, saying that he could get better if he wanted to and if he tried, but she was doing very little to show him how and to earn her pay. Bo knew that everything he'd accomplished, he owed to Luke, and it was making him twice as mad that she was taking the families' money and Luke was doing all the work. Everyone noticed it, but she wasn't quite as bad when she knew that the older cousin was in ear shot. Uncle Jesse and Daisy didn't seem to bother her as much, and if Luke wasn't there, it was normally only Daisy in the house with them. She'd heard some of the things that the woman had told Bo, and she'd had a good mind to tell her what she thought of her. She felt like inviting her to pick on someone that could defend themself, and who could speak back. Like everyone else though, she didn't want her actions to affect her cousin, so she would only pretend to walk through, stopping to ask if Bo was doing ok. Of course, then she got a reprimand for interrupting them. She was trying to decide whether to tell Luke about it or not when the decision was taken out of her hands.

The morning had started out bad in the first place. Bo'd had an accident the night before in bed, the first one since his first night home. Luke was sleeping so soundly that he hadn't been able to wake him in time, and they'd forgot to set the alarm. Of course, when Luke got up and discovered it, Bo was already extremely upset. Luke told him again that it was his fault, that he should have woke up when Bo tried to rouse him, that he should have remembered to set the alarm, but Bo shook his head no. Trying a different approach, he told Bo to be proud of himself because this had only happened that one other night. That didn't seem to make Bo happy either. By the time he got him to the table, Bo refused to eat.

Bertha arrived like clockwork in her usual cheery mood. "Being stubborn and refusing to eat again, huh Bo? Well, I guess we might as well do something useful so let's get started," she told him, letting Luke push him into the other room. "Pouting this morning?" she asked, and Bo glared at her.

Daisy and Luke both had a feeling that this would be the day Bo would blow. Their uncle's call couldn't have come at a worse time. There was an emergency and he needed Luke's help, leaving Daisy all alone with a volatile Bo and Bad Ass Battleaxe. With Bo having such a bad morning already, Daisy hated to tell the woman that she wasn't going to be putting up with any mistreatment of her cousin that day. She'd had about all she could stand of the woman, too, and felt sorry for Bo.

As soon as Luke left, it started. She told Bo to do something that he was either unwilling or unable to do. "You know Beauregard," she said, purposely using the name that always got her a cold stare, "you are wasting your families' money and my time if you're not going to or aren't able to cooperate. If it were my decision to make, you would have been in an institution."

Daisy had just come out of the boys' room, having stripped the beds. "Yeah, well it wasn't your decision to make," Daisy replied. "Bo's at home because we all love him and wanted him here, so that's really none of your business," she said, stopping next to Bo's chair. Throwing the sheets on the floor, she bent down and kissed his cheek, then whispered, "don't you listen to her, honey. We're all glad you're home."

"You people just coddle him like he's some kind of baby. No wonder he ain't getting any better," she said.

"Well, with the way you treat him, someone's gotta remind Bo that he's loved," Daisy said, putting her arm around him in a protective gesture.

Bertha looked at the pile of bedsheets on the floor, knowing that they came from Bo's room. She'd been in the medical profession long enough to have assumed what had happened. "Yep, Beauregard, if it were up to me, you'd be in a home, and in a diaper."

"That's enough!" Daisy screamed.

What they didn't know was that Luke had gotten a bad feeling that something was going to take place. He called his uncle on the CB, and said he needed to go back and check on Bo. Knowing that Luke's instincts were very good when it came to his younger cousin, Uncle Jesse told him to go ahead. Luke had snuck back in while the ladies were busy arguing, and he had heard the whole thing. He bolted into the room. "It's more than enough!" he yelled.

"Mr. Duke, please stay out of this," she told him.

"Like hell I will while you talk to Bo like this. How dare you? You're here to help him, not make him feel bad!"

"Luke, she talks to him like this all the time," Daisy said. "She's just down right mean to Bo, and I don't blame him for acting like that around you. I wouldn't treat a dog the way you treat him, and if I were a dog, I'd bite you!"

"He's nothing but a big, spoiled baby, and no wonder, with you people treating him like one. You may as well face it. He's never going to improve! He hasn't got the guts or the willpower to help himself! Save yourselves a lot of time and grief, and put him where he belongs."

Luke began to growl, taking a step toward her. "My cousin is not a baby!" he said, emphasizing every word. "He's got more guts and willpower than you could ever hope to find, but you've got all the charm of a rattlesnake, and in case you've forgotten, it's your job to teach him how to get better, which so far, I've heard you criticize him a lot, but I haven't heard a lot of teaching."

"I can't teach someone like him," Bertha spat.

"Good! Cause we don't want you to!" Luke screamed. "Quite frankly, I don't think you could teach a dog to bury a bone, so just get your things and get out!" Luke ordered, escorting her to the exit.

"And don't let the door hit you in the ass!" Daisy yelled after her, thinking that it might get a chuckle out of Bo. She was still standing next to him with her arm around him. When she didn't get the expected response, she looked down. Bo was far from chuckling. "Luke! Luke! Get in here!" Daisy screamed, then turned her attention back to Bo, trying to calm him down.

Luke rushed in to find out what was going on. Daisy was kneeling beside Bo's chair. The dark haired boy could see that his blonde cousin's face was almost purple and his breathing was labored. He seemed to be havings some kind of seizure, and before Daisy or Luke could stop him, he upset himself. He landed to the floor with a thump, knocking the wind out of his lungs, and only adding to his already difficult task of taking in air. If that wasn't enough, Bo started crying so hard that it was scaring both of his cousins.

"Bo!" Luke said, gathering him up in his arms while Daisy turned the chair upright. "It's ok, Bo, she's gone. She ain't ever gonna upset you again, I promise. She sets foot on our property again, and I'll get out the bows and arrows, I promise. I don't think I'd have any trouble hitting her big backside," Luke said, trying to make a joke. Daisy smiled, but Bo wasn't having any of it. The tighter Luke held him, the more agitated he became. "C'mon Bo, stop it!" Luke told him, somehow knowing that Bo wasn't in the thralls of an uncontrollable convulsion. "You're scaring us, cuz. It's over."

Bo started shaking his head frantically.

"No? No what sugar?" Daisy asked him, laying her hand on his arm, but not understanding what he was thinking or trying to tell them.

Between his sobbing, Bo spoke. It wasn't exactly crystal clear, and it was choppy, but there was no mistaking what he said. "Bu...bu...burden...," he said.

Daisy and Luke looked at each other. Bo's new vocabulary should have been cause for a celebration, but the fact that he spoke wasn't the issue right then, it was what he said.

Luke tightened his grip on his despondent cousin. "Bo, you are NOT a burden to us, and you never will be."

"We're you're family, sugar. We love you," Daisy told him, but nothing was getting through.

"Bo, when I first saw you after you'd been shot, I thought you were dead. Then in the hours that followed, I thought you were going to die, and I've never been more scared in my entire life. I thank God each and every day that he didn't take you away, cause I couldn't have gone on without you. Now I know that this seems so hard, but it will get better. I promised you that, and I always keep my promises. I'm a Duke, just like you. I love you Bo, more than you'll ever know."

"We love you, Bo, more than you'll ever know," Daisy corrected her oldest cousin.

"Right, we love you more than you'll ever know. Uncle Jesse does, too. Bo, you're his baby, you know that."

Nothing seemed to be working. Bo was still crying as hard as when he'd started, and Luke really thought that he needed some rest. He carefully picked Bo up and carried him into their room. After laying him on the bed, he grabbed a spare blanket and laid down with him, holding him as tight as he could without disrupting his breathing. It took a long time before Bo's sobs finally started to die down, and he began to drift off. He moved his hand slightly before he went under so that it was resting on top of Luke's. The oldest Duke boy was trying hard not to start bawling himself.

Uncle Jesse, having not heard from or seen Luke yet, decided to forget about what it was he had thought was so important and come home to find out what was going on. Daisy filled him in while Luke was still in with Bo. Only after he was sure that Bo was sleeping, did Luke slip out of the bed. He didn't want Bo to be alone, but there was something that he had to do. When he walked into the kitchen and saw his uncle there, he assumed Daisy had told him of the morning's events. "Daisy fill you in?" he asked.

"Yeah," Uncle Jesse sighed. "You know, maybe we need to admit that Bo needs help that we just can't give him."

"Now don't you go saying stuff like that, too!" Luke said. "He's heard enough of it from that Battleaxe, and she's convinced him that he's being a burden to us. If she treated him that badly here, in his own home, under our noses, what do you think they'd treat him like in a rehabilitation center?" Luke asked.

That was not something that Jesse Duke had thought of. "So what do we do now?"

"Watch," Luke said, grabbing a business card and the phone. "Hello. My name is Luke Duke, my cousin's name is Bo, probably under Beauregard on your files. I want to speak to someone about the therapist that you people sent out here to work with him. Hold? Sure, I'll hold." Luke paused for a minute, then repeated what he had just said. Having found out that he was speaking to the person he needed to, he let them have it. "I don't know what qualifications she told you that she had, but her behavior toward my cousin was unacceptable. I wouldn't let her handle polecats. She should never be let loose around humans, especially considering that her patients have been through terrible ordeals and are already hurt and vulnerable." Luke stopped, and listened for a minute. "Sir, there is a big difference between being firm with a patient for their own good and being down right mean and nasty, and she makes Ghengis Khan look like a saint. My cousin was shot in the head just a few weeks ago. He's only been home for a little while. Would you like to know some of the things she said to him?" He paused, but only for a second. "We'll that's too bad because I'm going to tell you anyway." By the time Luke was finished repeating some of the insults that had been hurled at Bo, the person on the other end of the phone must have agreed that they were uncalled for and that he had a right to complain because Luke Duke became much calmer. "Now, we would appreciate it if you could send another therapist in Brunhilda's place. This time, preferably someone human, with a heart!. Thank you."

"What did they say?" both Daisy and Jesse asked.

"They said that they would send a replacement, but it might take them a few days to find one. He said that therapists that can deal with both speech impediments and muscle disorders are hard to find."

After taking a sip of his coffee, Luke went back to sit with Bo. He wasn't going to tell his cousin just yet that he was getting another therapist, and he hoped that the next one wouldn't be anything like the first.


	6. Tornado Warning

CHAPTER 6

Tornado Warning!

Texas

_Twister_

That's what the license plate read on the back of the black Chevy Camaro that was flying down Highway 15, but this wasn't Texas. This was Highway 15 in Hazzard, Georgia, and someone was a long way from home. A lot of folks might have thought that the young lady was lost, but Sandy knew she was exactly where she was supposed to be. So far, the directions she'd been given had been right on the money, and if they were still accurate, her turn should be coming up. The name on the mailbox said Duke, she'd found her destination.

Pulling up alongside the orange car, Sandy stopped a minute to admire it.  _'General Lee_ ,' she laughed to herself.  _'Seems they like their heroes here about as much as we do in Texas_.' Adjusting her rear view mirror so that she could see herself, she removed the small, but unmistakable Stetson, tossing it onto the seat next to her. Then she dug out her brush, and pulled it through her long, auburn hair that had been smashed down by the cowboy hat and tossed around by the breeze, thanks to the removable t-top. A glance at her makeup, an application of lipstick, a quick check of her watch, and she was ready to begin her new assignment. Reaching under her hat, she pulled out the file, flipping it open for a very quick review, though she'd already read it several times and was familiar with the details.

_'Bullet penetration 1/4 to 1/2" deep along entire right, middle side of skull, affecting several different areas and functions. No additional complications besides original injury. Persistent damage believed to be temporary and/or re-trainable via proper therapy. The date of the incident was a little over a month ago. Victim was a young male, in his mid twenties, and had been left unable to use arms and legs, and had lost the ability to speak, though he was able to comprehend and communicate by the blinking of his eyes and movement of head. Very slight improvement in mobility had been noted, as well as ability to laugh and make sounds. Family had been insistent on caring for him at home rather than in a rehab center.'_

That was her assignment. The strengthening and re-training of one Beauregard Duke. She closed the file, wondering as she did about all her new patients what he would be like, what he had been like before. Mid twenties was way too young to spend the rest of his life trapped in a body that wouldn't cooperate, and she was there to ensure that didn't happen.

Holding the folder, she opened the car door and stepped out. If her license plate hadn't said where she was from, her clothes would have given it away. She was dressed in boots, tight fighting jeans, a denim blouse tucked in with a large belt buckle in the front. When most people met her, they wondered how a girl that stood barely 5'4" tall ever earned a nickname like the Texas twister, but it didn't take long to see that it fit her personality to a tee. Her middle name was determined, and it was that mentality that made her so good with her patients. Her un-deterrable spirit usually rubbed off on them, too. Her long, red hair reached the middle of her back, but her face showed no flaws or freckles that often accompanied such coloring. Her eyes were large and emerald green, and stood out against the auburn strands that framed her face. She could have been the poster child for Texas tourism.

Walking up the steps, she softly knocked on the door. Uncle Jesse, Daisy, and Luke had been expecting the visitor, though they hadn't told Bo anything about it. He'd been traumatized by Bertha, and this time Luke was going to make sure that he wasn't putting his cousin at the mercy of another masochist. Bo was in the living room, sitting in his chair staring at the TV. He heard the knock, but figured it was probably someone from town. The other Dukes had huddled in the kitchen wanting to see who they got this time. Luke flung open the door in an authoritative manner, letting whoever was standing behind it know that he was the boss. As his eyes took in the young lady, his aggressiveness melted. She looked nothing like Bertha. She looked nice, but she looked young, too young to know anything about how to help Bo. They needed someone with some experience, and she looked like she might have just graduated from high school. She was beautiful, but Luke believed that the agency had screwed up again, sending them a cattle rustler instead of a speech and physical therapist. He'd never seen anyone in the medical profession dressed like a ranch foreman before.

"Howdy!" she said, giving him her Texas sized smile. "I'm looking for..."

She never got to finish. Luke put his hand up, stopping her before she could say it. "Bo," he said. "His name is Bo." Then lowering his voice, he whispered, "he hates the name Beauregard."

"Oh! Ok," she said, playing along. "I'm looking for Bo Duke," and she grabbed a pen and made a notation on the folder, then stuck out her hand.

"Hi!" he smiled back, getting lost in her eyes for a minute. "I'm Luke Duke, Bo's cousin. This is Daisy Duke, Bo's good-looking cousin, and our Uncle Jesse Duke." He introduced her to his family, but forgot to let go of her hand until she glanced down at it. Taking it from Luke, she repeated the action with the rest of the family.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Sandy Maverick, and the agency sent me to work with Bo. I'm a licensed speech and physical therapist," she informed them, knowing that her young appearance made most people question her qualifications.

"I don't mean to doubt you, but exactly how long have you been doing this?" Luke asked.

"That's ok, Mr. Duke," she said.

"Luke, please call me Luke."

"Okay, Luke, I've been doing this for four years. I assure you I am qualified, I have an extremely high rate of success, and I can provide you with references."

Luke looked down, feeling a little sheepish. "No, that's ok. It's just the last one they sent us, we'll she was really something else."

"She was mean to Bo," Daisy said.

"Well, I assure you that it's not my intention to ever be mean to a patient, although there are times when you have to be firm."

"Firm is one thing," Luke said. "Mean is something else."

"I agree," she said, and he relaxed, thinking that she didn't look anything like Bertha. "Can I meet my patient?"

The Dukes looked at each other, and so far, they liked what they saw. "Sure," Luke said. "He's in here."

"Bo," Luke called to him as they walked into the living room. "There's someone here who wants to meet you."

Bo's head was down. He'd overheard enough to know that his next therapist had arrived. He was still hurting over what the last one had done, and still feeling like a burden to his family. He was also a little scared of what the next one would be like. As she stood in front of him, he could see that she was wearing boots and jeans, a strange uniform for a medical professional. He refused to look at her.

Before anyone could say anything to Bo, Sandy squatted down so that she was below his eye level. She slid one of her hands under one of his, and laid the other one on top. Looking up, she smiled. "Howdy, Bo! My name is Sandy. You and I are going to be working together to get you out of that chair, back out on that farm, and talking again like I have a feeling you used to be quite good at." She giggled as she said the last part, and so did the rest of the Dukes, saying that Bo always had been a talker. "And, so he will be again," she assured him, squeezing his hand.

She analyzed him as she looked at him, but kept smiling so that he wouldn't know she was doing it. She saw the wound that the bullet had left behind, not quite healed, and not yet covered by hair. She noticed that the other side of his head was adorned with beautiful blonde locks, and she was willing to bet that he was uncomfortable with people being able to see his healing scar and the loss of his curls. She studied the way he was sitting, shoulders slumped and looking very dejected. She was also willing to bet that it was a combination of being depressed over his situation, compounded by the abuse he'd suffered from her predecessor. She knew that she was going to have to make up for that wrong if she wanted him to trust her and to work with her. Inside, she was fuming that someone could treat another person so cruelly. She could tell from his build that it looked like he was fairly tall, and on the skinny side, guessing that he'd been slender even before the weight he'd lost in the last month and a half. All things considered, he was nicely built. She looked at his face, and couldn't help but see just how handsome he was. She had no doubt that in a small town like Hazzard, he'd probably been considered a very good looking man, not that he wouldn't have been anywhere else. It was just that smaller towns meant fewer choices, and she could only imagine that the girls were probably wild about him. She'd dealt with a quite a few people over the years, ranging from children to the elderly, but she didn't think that she'd ever had a patient quite like Bo before. She peered a little deeper, and looked into his eyes. They were beautiful, a midnight blue. She imagined that they could twinkle when he was happy or feeling playful, as much as they could show pain when he was hurting, which is what they were saying right then. Her job was to make them twinkle again, and she smiled as she noticed that he was finally looking at her.

Bo wanted to pretend that she wasn't there. He doubted she was going to do any better with him than the last one, even if she was nicer. Unlike Battleaxe Bertha's gruff voice, hers was soft as silk and friendly, laced with a southern accent though not a local one. She sounded so kind and confident that he almost believed her for a second. He didn't know what he was expecting, probably something a little closer to Bertha, but when he finally did look at her, he couldn't believe what he saw. Kneeling in front of him, she was young, and she was beautiful. Bo stared back in disbelief, hardly able to believe that this little gal was going to teach him how to do everything in life again. She didn't look old enough or strong enough. His eyes were huge, and when she saw that he was watching her, she smiled at him. The corner of his mouth shot upwards as he did his best to return her smile. The Dukes witnessed it, too, and couldn't believe that Bo had already responded to her.

"Okay Bo, now that I have your attention, the first thing I'm going to do is to be honest with you. We've got a lot of work to do, and it's not always gonna be easy, and you're not always gonna feel like doing it. We're gonna have some great days together, you and me, and we're gonna have some pretty bad ones, too. Do you remember before you were shot Bo, having good days and bad days?" Bo nodded. "Well, that's just life. It happens in everything, and this isn't gonna be any different, but I promise that I will listen to anything you've got to say. What I won't promise is that I'll always agree with it or let you off the hook that easy," she laughed, winking at him, and he chuckled. Hearing his ability to laugh, she let go of his hand and picked up her file and pen, making more notes. Bo watched her, missing the feel of her soft hands holding his.

"Okay, first thing we're gonna do today is find out a little more about Bo Duke," she said, sitting down on the floor where he could still see her. She knew that they were going to be discussing him, and without the ability to speak, it was going to sound as if they were talking about him. They were, so she wanted him to feel included. In establishing a rapport with her clients, she often sat on the floor rather than on the furniture. She wanted them to be able to see her, and she wanted to be able to watch them. It also gave them a subliminal hint of power, sitting taller than her, and making them feel as if they were in charge. She never relinquished her authority, she just made them think she did. "Bo, you're file says that you've been working four hours a day, six days a week, from eight a.m. to noon. Does that work best for you?" she asked, then looked at him. As if responding to a spoken remark, she continued. "Well, ya know, some people are morning people and some aren't. If there's a time that works better for you, we'll change it. This part, you're the boss at. So, how bout it Bo? Does that time frame work well for you?" Bo nodded. "Okay, how bout for the rest of your family?" She said, turning to them.

"Yeah, it's fine," they all told her.

"So far, this has been one of those really good days," she said, smiling back up at Bo, who again, returned it. "What we'll do then with our time is to to spend the first hour on speech, the second hour on upper body movements, the third hour we'll go back to speech, and we'll finish the last hour with lower body functions. I split it like that because the speech is the hardest and the most frustrating, but the body functions are the most physically demanding. This helps to keep from getting over tired or over agitated in any one area."

"That makes sense," Uncle Jesse commented, and she nodded.

"Okay, now Bo, I want your family to tell me a little bit about you so that I can get to know what you like and don't like. I know you'd probably rather tell me yourself, and someday, when you're able to, I'll let you, and then we'll see how close your answers are to what your family told me. If there's something that they say that you really don't agree with or that you really do agree with, well, you know how to let me know that, right?" Bo nodded. "Yep, I knew that. You know what else?" she asked, pausing as he shook his head. "I already know one little secret about you Bo, and that's that you don't seem to care too much for your full, given name. Is that right?" Bo nodded, and she laughed. "Well, I'll make a deal with you. I won't call you by it unless I think you're not paying attention, okay?" He nodded again. "Let's shake," she said, taking his hand. "I want you to let me know that you agree to those terms by trying to press down on my hand." He looked at her as she slid her hand under his again. "There's no right or wrong answer here," she assured him, and she did feel him press a little. "Now, let's try the other one," and he did the same. She noted that his left hand had more strength. "Now, let's hear what your family can tell me about you," she said, turning to them.

"What do you want to know?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"Anything you think is important for me to know about Bo," she said.

"Ah, you like cars, huh?" she confirmed when Luke said that he did. "Is that orange car General Lee yours?"

Bo nodded and Luke told her that the General was theirs. They'd built it from scratch.

"Really? That's impressive."

Next, they told her that Bo liked the girls. He tried to look embarrassed when she shot him a sly look. "Somehow, I gotta feeling they like you, too," she said, and everyone noticed that he actually blushed.

Mostly, they told her that Bo had a big heart, would help anyone who needed it, was a great cousin and nephew, and that they loved him very much, missed him, and wanted him back.

"That's nice, Bo, that you have a family that really loves you that much," she told him, and he nodded, looking from one to the other, to the other.

"The last thing that we're going to do today is to actually find out where you are with everything, so I'm going to ask you to do some things in each of the areas that we've already talked about. I want you to do what you can, and not to worry about what you can't. That's what I'm trying to determine right now so that tomorrow we can start changing those can'ts into can dos. Okay?"

The family watched as she started with his legs and feet, then worked up to his arms and hands, and finally finished by asking him to make sounds as well as any words that he could. He said Luke without any problems, and the Dukes confirmed that he had been saying his cousin's name for a while now.

"By the time we're done with you darlin', you're going to be a regular chatterbox," she told him, and he laughed. Then she looked at him, and stated very seriously that he must really love his cousin to have learned how to say his name first.

Bo looked at her with all the innocence of a newborn and nodded. Luke couldn't help but get choked up, walking over to his cousin, and telling him that the feeling was mutual.

"Okay Bo, we're done for today. I'm letting you off a little early, but don't get used to it," she warned him. "Tomorrow, we'll be like the Marines, sort of, we'll do more before noon than most people do all day, or is that the Army?"

"Luke," he said, but she didn't understand why.

"Luke was a Marine," Daisy told her.

"Oh!" she said. "Well tomorrow, you're gonna feel like one," she promised him. "You rest up good today, cause you're gonna need it." Getting up from the floor and gathering her things, she said that she'd let them get back to their chores, then thanked them for their help. Before she walked out of the room, she put her hand on Bo's shoulder. "Bye Bo. We'll see you tomorrow."

Luke and Sandy noticed that he slightly raised his right hand as if making a gesture of goodbye. He looked up at her, and Luke could have sworn that he looked disappointed that their session was over.

When they walked into the kitchen, Uncle Jesse asked if she thought she'd be able to help Bo.

"I do, and I will certainly give it everything I've got, and right now, I'm getting the impression that Bo will, too."

"Talk about a change in attitude," Daisy said.

"It's all in the approach," Sandy told them. "They have to be kept involved in the process, and feel like they have some control over it. Otherwise, it's very difficult, and control is usually the main issue. All of a sudden a person like Bo finds that they're in a situation where they have no say over their own lives anymore. They have to have some in their recovery. It's only logical if you think about it."

"C'mon," Luke said, "I'll walk you out."

"Okay," she agreed, thinking that he might have something he wanted to talk to her about or questions that he wanted to ask away from the others.

"You were really wonderful with him," Luke told her, trying to express his gratitude on how she had handled a potentially awkward and volatile situation, though he knew his cousin well enough to know that she was pretty enough to keep his attention for a while. He'd seen the way he looked at her, and knew that Bo found her attractive. For that matter, he did, too, but it was the way she treated him, talking to him as if he wasn't injured at all. She treated him with dignity and respect, and he could see a difference in Bo's eyes from that morning to the time she left. It was like a little of the old Bo was already back. Of course, it didn't hurt that a pretty lady was paying attention to him. That alone had to be good for his self-esteem, and despite his lack in self-confidence due to his current appearance, she had commented right away that she thought he'd been pretty popular with the girls. She had been up front with him, telling him it was going to be hard, but she had also treated him as an equal, letting him know what to expect. She was professional, kind, courteous, and funny all rolled up into one. She'd managed to make Bo laugh more in the few hours she'd been there than he had in the last month, and he knew that if Bo could laugh, he could work very hard. He had a feeling they'd be doing a lot of laughing over the coming weeks. "He actually laughed several times, and he looks happier right now than he has since before this whole thing started. I just wanted to thank you for being so good with him."

"It came very easy with Bo. He's a likeable guy," she replied.

"Nice car," Luke commented, as they got closer.

"Thanks," she said, opening the door. She threw the file on the front seat, than leaned in to get her hat.

Luke was reading the license plate. "You're from Texas?"

She was just putting on her Stetson as he asked the question. "I sure am, darlin."

"Texas Twister?" Luke questioned.

"That's what they call me," she said.

Now that he thought about it, she did sort of remind him of a cyclone, affecting everything in her path. The difference was that tornadoes destroyed; she created and rebuilt, but both tasks required a lot of fury and determination. He couldn't wait to tell Bo what his therapist's nickname was. Somehow, he knew that his baby cousin was going to get a kick out of it.

"Mr. Duke?" she asked, setting the hat on her head.

"Luke, please call me Luke."

"Sorry. Luke, I need to ask you if you're ok with a more casual type of dress, or if you like the actual uniforms. I have them so it's whatever you prefer."

"We don't care how you dress. Just as long as you come back, and help Bo."

"I'll be here tomorrow at eight. Count on it."

"We will," he said, as she climbed in behind the wheel. "Thank you again."

"Oh you're quite welcome, but save the thanks till after the real work starts tomorrow."

"I think this is gonna work out just fine. I'm sorry I doubted your qualifications," he apologized, leaning in the car window.

"Don't be. You're entrusting me with someone you obviously care for very much. You not only should question my qualifications, you have every right to. That doesn't offend me. I let my record speak for itself."

"Well, thanks again," he said, stepping away from the car as she waved out the window, and pulled away from the house.

Luke went inside to find Bo. "Guess what her nickname is?"

Bo gave him a blank stare, saying that he didn't know. "Texas Twister!" Luke told him, and Bo did start laughing.

"She's nice, isn't she Bo?" Bo nodded. "You like her, don't you?" Bo nodded again. "I do, too," Luke told him, as he pushed him back to the table for lunch. "Ya hungry, kiddo?" Luke asked, and for the first time, Bo nodded that he was. The Texas twister had already left Bo with an appetite.


	7. Reporting for Duty

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 7

REPORTING FOR DUTY

True to her word, Sandy returned the next morning a little before eight. The Dukes were still sitting at the table finishing their coffee and breakfast when she walked up to the door. Unlike the previous day, it was open.

"Morning," she called to them through the screen.

"Hey! Come on in!" Daisy invited her, and she did.

"How bout having a cup of coffee with us before you and Bo get started?" Uncle Jesse asked.

A lot of her colleagues would have refused. Such a distraction could put them behind schedule, making the therapist work later or cheating the patient out of their full allotted time. Others felt it just wasn't a good idea to get too involved or too friendly with the patient or their loved ones. They were reminded that whatever importance their role might be in a person's recovery, they were still the equivalent of the hired help, and it was best to seperate business from pleasure. That's where Sandy was different. She believed that a personable relationship helped promote trust and confidence, and that helped in the recovery. Most of her patients and their families didn't view her as the hired help. She was often revered like a savior, their only and last hope. Except for one, she had always developed some type of personal friendship with the people she worked for. She didn't really try to, she just didn't fight the little things that she knew would lead to it the way others did. If they ran a little past twelve, for Sandy, it wasn't any big deal. She only worked with one patient at a time, so she wasn't expected anywhere after she got done with Bo. Professionals who kept rigid appointment schedules didn't have that luxury. However, she'd always felt that every client deserved her undivided attention, and she couldn't provide that working with several at the same time. Even when she wasn't working with them in person, she was working on their case, developing a plan.

Bo's eyes lit up when she accepted the offer, saying that if they pointed her to the cups, she'd help herself. Coffee in hand, she took a seat next to Luke, and for once, Bo wished that Daisy had been sitting there instead.

In a few short hours, something had already happened. There had been a certain level of excitement in the farm house since first meeting the Texas Twister, a sense of hope.

_Bo was wide awake when Luke went to get him up that morning, as if he were looking forward to the day, another first since the shooting. He carefully watched Luke dress him, making sure that he looked somewhat decent, sighing when he moved his head so that his right side was visible in the mirror. As he looked at the reflection bouncing back at him, he scowled. Luke saw it, and wished that his cousin's hair would hurry up and grow back, so that the scar wouldn't be visible. It may not have been the biggest thing they had to worry about, but it bothered Bo, and he'd be a lot better once it could no longer be seen._

_"It'll grow back, buddy, and the scar will fade," Luke told him, looking at him via the mirror. "See, it's already getting longer," he told him as he held a strand in his hand. Half of an inch compared to several was hardly making progress to Bo, but he smiled at his cousin, thanking him for his encouragement. Luke put his hand on Bo's shoulder, and Bo laid his head on it. "I love you, Bo."_

_Bo nodded. "Luke."_

"Luke tells us you're from Texas, ma'am," Uncle Jesse commented, bringing his eldest nephew back to the present.

"Yes sir, I am," she confirmed.

"What part of Texas?" Luke asked, not getting the impression that she was from Dallas or Houston.

"Maverick," she replied.

"Any connection to your name or just a coincidence?" Luke asked her, keeping up an exclusive two-way conversation.

"My great-great-great grandfather settled the town," she laughed.

"What are you doing all the way in Georgia, honey?" Daisy questioned, voicing her own curiosities.

"I'm a travelling therapist," she giggled. "I work with certain types of clients, and I go to them."

"Like Bo?" Daisy asked, finding herself fascinated by the thought of such an occupation. She loved her home and her family, but Daisy Duke dreamed of someday having a career. She just couldn't quite decide what field she was interested in, loving music, but understanding how unrealistic that was.

"Just like Bo," Sandy declared, winking at him and noticing that he was turning red again.

"You mean that you came all the way from Texas just to work with Bo?" Uncle Jesse asked, quite surprised.

"Not exactly. I've been working in Atlanta with a teenage girl for the past few months. I'd just finished up and was getting ready to head out when the agency called and asked if I wanted to stay a little longer."

"Oh!" they all uttered, glad that she was with them, but happy that she hadn't driven all the way from the middle of Texas just for them.

"Shall we get started?" Sandy asked, looking at Bo, who nodded. "Ya'll know where to find us if you need us," she told the family, taking hold of the reigns like she took hold of everything around her. "Have you popped any wheelies in this yet?" she leaned down and asked Bo as she pushed him into the living room. He looked up at her with a surprised expression. "You haven't? Well, you will be!" she grinned.

"Oh lordy!" Uncle Jesse exclaimed, wondering why it was that his youngest nephew was always in a device with wheels that he couldn't manage to keep on the ground.

* * *

Keeping to her original outline, their sessions were divided into four different segments, and it seemed to be working out quite well. It didn't completely tire Bo, and if they hit a snag, they didn't have to concentrate on it too long before they could move on to something else or be done for the day entirely. The family watched her work with the blonde, thinking that she was a teacher to him like Annie Sullivan was to Helen Keller. She wasn't anything like Battleaxe Bertha, in fact, she wasn't anything like anyone they'd ever met in a doctor's office or hospital before. She made the entire learning process almost fun, while never forgetting the purpose behind it. She was wonderful with Bo. She treated him like he was the most special person in the world, and it didn't take long for her to have him believing it. The faith she displayed in Bo started showing up in his own confidence. They wondered if she was like that with all of her patients or if it was just something special with Bo Duke. One thing they knew, it wasn't an act. When she looked at him, her eyes gave away the fact that she did care very deeply for the young man, and his eyes revealed strong feelings for her, too.

Also, unlike her predecessor, she welcomed family participation. There were times that she said that it did need to be just her and Bo, but most of the time she not only liked it when they wanted to be involved, she encouraged it. Somehow, she always found the right way to include them. Luke told her that he worked with Bo in the afternoons and evenings, and she was more than happy to share with him things that he could do that would greatly help his cousin, and Bo was working harder than anyone had ever hoped he would. She promised him that it would pay off in the end, and he believed it just because she said it was true.

Their time often went a little beyond the four hours, but she didn't mind. The family started asking her to join them for lunch. At first, she said she didn't want to be any trouble, but they convinced her that she wasn't, and she agreed, bonding with all of them. They looked forward to their coffee in the mornings and lunches together in the afternoons because it gave them a chance to talk about something they were interested in, her. Though not wanting to seem nosey, they were, and they were curious about her personal life as well as her professional career.

"Do you have any family back in Texas?" Uncle Jesse asked, wondering if she were all alone and that's why she traveled so much.

"Yes sir, I sure do. My father passed away a few years back, so my mama runs the ranch now, and I've got three brothers, a niece, a nephew, plus a whole peck of aunts, uncles, and cousins."

"You're family owns a ranch?" Luke asked.

"Yeah, the Southern Comfort," she replied, then told him how many acres it was and how many head of cattle they kept.

"Wow!" Uncle Jesse, whistled. "That's a big ranch. You're mama runs that all by herself?"

"Well, we've got a foreman and hired hands, but yeah, she oversees everything."

"What about your brothers?" Daisy asked.

"Unfortunately, none of the boys really love ranching. My oldest brother, Tommy, or Tom as he likes to be called now, he's a business exeutive in Phoenix. He's married and has two great kids, and he's real smart, but he's always so serious. Bobby, the middle brother, he's a meterologist in Houston, and he's probably the happiest out of the boys, really doing what he loves. Timmy, the youngest of the brothers, well, Timmy's Timmy. He a good guy. He got through school, and now lives and works in Dallas as a marketing executive, but he always says that's just his day job so he can eat and so that daddy would be proud of him. He went along with it to make my father happy, but Timmy is a gifted musician, and his heart is in Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry. He plays in a band at night, writes songs, and I think someday he'll make it big enough so that he can leave the business world behind."

"Where do you fit into this family?" Luke wanted to know.

"Me? I'm the youngest."

"You're family doesn't mind you travelling all over?" Uncle Jesse asked, thinking that he'd be worried if Daisy had that kind of job.

"It bothers my mama, but I think she's getting used to it."

"Well, it would bother me, too, if one of mine did that," Uncle Jesse affirmed, then reminded himself that if she didn't, she wouldn't be there helping Bo right that minute. "But, I'd be real proud of them," he told her, "as I'm sure your family is of you."

"Thank you."

"So, you got a husband, or fiancee, or significant other, or boyfriend back at the Southern Comfort?" Daisy asked, changing the subject, and both Bo and Luke's ears perked right up.

"Nope! It'd be kind of hard to do that when I'm gone most of the time."

"You got one stashed anywhere else?" Daisy pressed, leaning forward as if she was sharing some secret just amongst the two of them.

Sandy imitated her action. "No!" she giggled. "How bout you? You got a line of em outside your door on Saturday night?"

"Yeah, I sure do," Daisy said. "All waiting for a beer, down at the Boar's Nest."

"The Boar's Nest?"

"It's a little place on the outskirts of Hazzard owned by none other than Boss Hogg. I work there. I'm a waitress."

"Boss Hogg?" she repeated. "Is that like some kind of a motorcycle?"

Everyone started laughing, including Bo, and proceeded to tell her about the illustrious J.D. Hogg. The Texas Twister truly believed that the character they were describing to her was no more than a figment of their imagination, finding it difficult to believe that something or someone so absurb could really exist.

* * *

By the end of their first week together, Sandy had learned that up until a few years back, the Duke family business had been moonshining. At first, she thought they were kidding, having always believed that most stories about moonshiners had been made up or really only took place during the Prohibition years. Despite understanding that the liquor may have been of superior quality, she admitted that she couldn't understand anyone taking the risk of making illegal alcohol when you could buy it in the store. Uncle Jesse and Luke pretended to be offended, saying that the old man's was better than anything you could buy off a shelf. When she found out that they weren't kidding, she asked why, if it was that good, he didn't make it the legal way, and sell and distribute it.

"Now, why didn't I think of that?" Uncle Jesse mocked, and the family laughed, obviously knowing the answer that she did not.

As an afterthought, they hoped that she didn't think poorly of them for knowingly breaking the law. It was their way of life, but not everyone else understood it. Luke hoped she didn't see them as petty criminals, putting themselves above the laws of society. She assured them that she didn't, then told them that she'd had some long, lost, distant relatives who'd been hanged for cattle rustling, so her family had its own skeletons.

Besides learning about their families' histories, Bo had learned some things that week, too. She always gave an update to the relatives and kind of like a show and tell performance at the end of the week. As the Dukes sat around and listened to what she told them, she asked Bo to demonstrate. It might not have seemed like much to people who could do it without thinking, but Bo was now able to control and command the opening and closing of both hands. Luke had already gotten the feeling that he was getting close to being able to do it since he worked with him so much, but the younger cousin had hid how proficient he really was, wanting to surprise him as well as their uncle and other cousin. He had a lot of work to do to before he'd be able to maneuver each finger in order to perform tasks, but he could reach for something that was large enough and pick it up, and that was progress.

He was also able to move his feet, as he demonstrated, but his lower extremities's functions were not quite as far along as his upper. The day before, Sandy had received a delivery which she promised was going to greatly aide in that. She'd asked Luke if he could put the box in the barn until the next day, and asked him not to peek. As soon as they were finished in there, she promised she was going to get it out.

There wasn't anything noticeably different about Bo's speech. His favorite and really only word that he said on command was his cousin's name. They'd heard Sandy working with Bo in that area, but weren't quite sure of what she was trying to accomplish by some of the things she had been doing with him. Rather than trying to get him to talk, she had spent most of that week having him do nothing but make noises. She made him close his eyes and then told him to make a sound, any one he wanted, reminding him that she knew his vocal chords worked and that he could do this. She assured him that which sound he made wasn't important right then. She just wanted him to make it and concentrate on it, with his ears and his mind. It would make sense later.

Wrapping up their little talent show, she moved aside so that his uncle and cousins could be with him. She'd seen a lot of loving families with her patients before, but there was something very special about this one. She was touched when they hovered over Bo, and one by one, he reached for and grabbed their hands. When he grabbed Luke's, the older man returned his grasp so tightly that she was surprised the blonde didn't cry out in pain, but sometimes patients would welcome pain rather than feeling nothing at all. As they sat there with their hands joined, the look that passed between them was indescribable, and it only re-confirmed that she got almost as much out her job as her patients.

Having faded into the background, wanting this time to be for Bo and his family, she was surprised when she found two arms wrapped around her. Daisy was hugging her tight, thanking her for everything she'd done. Before she knew it, Uncle Jesse had done the same followed by Luke, and Luke's embrace was as crushing as his grip on his cousin's hand had been earlier. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear, and she patted his back, as Bo watched with a certain amount of jealousy. He wanted to be able to do that, too, but he couldn't. When she walked by him, he settled for grabbing her hand. She looked down at him, taken by surprise, but recovered immediately and flashed her smile as she put her other hand on top of his.

"You're welcome, too."

* * *

There was one more thing Sandy needed to do before she wrapped up their first week, and that was to tend to the item in the box that had been stored out in the barn. She asked Luke if he would help her get it, and he agreed. He was surprised when she informed him that she didn't want him to take it into the house. Kneeling next to it, she removed a pocket knife and sliced the cardboard in half. There were a lot of poles and pieces, and Luke could see that it was going to have to be assembled. Sandy went to the trunk of her car and came back with tools that he didn't find women using too often. Even though she looked quite capable of putting the contraption together herself, he offered to help, and in no time, there was a platform with two bars sitting in the Duke yard. When it was done, she asked Luke to go get Bo. He came back a couple of minutes later with his entire family.

"Bo, this is your new toy, and I just bet it's something you've always wanted." He looked at her sarcastically, then grinned before turning to look at it again, some amount of fear in his eyes. "This is the key to getting you out of that," she said, pointing to the chair. Turning to Luke, she told him that she was going to need his help, at least in the beginning, and she offered to schedule time around whatever was convenient for him. He said he'd be happy to assist, and that all she had to do was tell him when to be there and he would. "Now Bo, you're looking a might peakid and this thing is rather big for the house, so I thought we'd leave it out here. There's a cover for it so it won't get wet or damaged, but this way, you can get a little sun! Does that sound ok?"

He nodded.

Then she bent down and took his hand in hers, smiling when he gripped it. "We've had pretty good days so far, haven't we?" With childlike eyes, he agreed. "But remember I told you there were going to be some bad days?" Again, he nodded. "Some of those days are going to be coming up. Out of everything that we're going to do together, this is going to be the most physically demanding, and at first, this is going to be real hard. I'm not going to lie to you about that. You probably aren't going to like this real well, but if you ever want to walk again, we have to use it. Are you ready for this Bo? Are you ready to really dig down and stick with me so that you can kiss that chariot goodbye?"

Bo looked at her, studying her face, then looking into her eyes. When he gave a determined nod, the whole family let out the air they'd been holding in their lungs. Luke gave a 'yee-haw,' telling his cousin that they'd be running from Rosco again in no time. Sandy straightened a little, then hugged Bo. She hadn't intended on doing it, but her hand gently went to his right cheek, just below the scarline, and she kissed him on the left cheek. As soon as she did it, she scolded herself. It wasn't that she had never hugged a patient or given them a friendly peck before, but it was usually after she'd been working with them for a while or as she was saying goodbye. This had been in response to a feeling she couldn't quite explain. She pulled back, and this time, she was the one who was blushing, and that made Bo feel very good.

As they covered up the torture device, Luke pointed to her license plate so that Bo could see for himself the personalized saying. He laughed. She looked to see what he was laughing at, and he raised his hand and pointed. No one else realized the significance of that action except for Sandy. He had separated his index finger from the rest in a correct gesture, and that showed finger control, which was coming up on her lesson planner. It was a very good sign. She was so excited that she forgot there was a reason Bo was pointing in the first place. He put his arm down, thinking that she wasn't following what he wanted, and he was right.

"He wants to know where you got the name Texas Twister," Luke informed her, lending his voice to Bo's inquiry.

"Oh! I got it after I lived through one," she replied, making it sound as if something like that happened everyday.

"What, a real tornado?" Luke asked, not speaking just for his cousin anymore. She nodded, not thinking anything strange about it. "Wait a minute," he smirked, thinking that she was really pulling his leg. "Do tell," and all of the Dukes perked up their ears to hear the story.

"I don't really remember much, cause I was only three, but me and Bobby were playing and wandered off. All of a sudden, he started running, pulling me behind, but I got away from him and turned around to see just what the heck we was running from, and there was this black monster chasing us. The next thing I knew, I woke up in my room. They told me that I got picked up by the twister, but by some stroke of luck, it set me down in a tree. Like I said, I don't really remember."

"Are you serious, sugar?" Daisy asked, not knowing whether to believe her or not.

"Yeah," she said, seeing the same doubt she always saw when she told that story. "I can have my mama send you a copy of the newspaper article."

"That's ok. We believe you," Uncle Jesse said. "Don't we kids?"

"Yes sir, I mean ma'am," they replied, thinking that even a tornado couldn't find it in its heart to tangle with this one.

Picking up her tools and putting them back in the trunk, she wished them a good day, and told Bo to be rested up by Monday morning.

"How bout you have dinner with us tomorrow, being's it's the Lord's day and you shouldn't have to eat alone?" Uncle Jesse asked.

She was about to refuse, but the younger Dukes were begging her to come, sounding like little kids, and Bo reached up and grabbed her hand, begging her with his eyes.

"Only if you let me help with dinner, and only if we agree that we're not working tomorrow. God's not the only one that deserves one day of rest."

They agreed to her terms, and she told them that she'd see them the next day. They watched the Camaro speed down the road, thinking 


	8. Work, Work & More Work

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 8

WORK, WORK, AND MORE WORK

Sandy was beginning to feel more like a relative than a hired professional, and she reminded herself that there was only so far that she could let that go or instead of helping her mission, it might begin to interfere with it. This was a family she'd already started falling in love with, and she told herself that when Bo was better, another family somewhere else was going to need her. Still, she was glad that she had accepted their invitation to Sunday dinner. Whether something was different that day or she hadn't noticed it so much before at lunch, Bo seemed extremely embarassed about having to be fed at the table in front of her, and wasn't cooperating too well with Luke.

She knew what they were going to be doing that week in regards to his legs and speech, but she hadn't known exactly what they were going to work on with his strongest skill, his hands. Now she did. She hoped Bo was ready because they were going to have a grueling week.

Her thoughts were interrupted when Luke asked her if she was a Longhorn, trying to make light conversation before his exasperation with Bo started to show.

"Huh?" she asked back, then started laughing as she realized what he had asked. "No," she replied. "Me and Bobby are the only ones in the family who aren't, and we have been labeled as traitors!"

"Well, what are you guys?" Luke asked.

"What's a longhorn?" Daisy asked, and the men rolled their eyes.

"The mascot for the University of Texas," Luke told her. "Their teams are called the longhorns," he said, putting his fingers together to form their signal. "Hook em horns, ya know like the Georgia Bulldogs."

Daisy just shrugged, not being interested in sports.

Answering his question, Sandy started talking. "Bobby is a Red Raider." When she could see that they couldn't quite place it, since it wasn't one of the more well known schools, she added, "he went to Texas Tech. He was the first in my family to break with tradition and go to a school other than the pride of all of Texas."

"You think he was just being a little rebellious?" Daisy asked.

"Well, my daddy did," she giggled, "but no, he wasn't doing it to upset anyone. He wanted to be a meterologist, namely a tornado expert, and Texas Tech is the best school in the country in that field. He made a sound decision, but it almost killed my parents and my older brother. They kind of held their breath when Timmy announced where he was going, wondering if Bobby had influenced him, but he made em happy and went to Austin. They probably thought they were home-free with me, but I guess I fooled them. At least Bobby made them aware that there were other schools in the country besides the University of Texas. He'd already graduated and had a good job, so my daddy couldn't say that going somewhere else hurt him."

"So what are you?" Luke asked again, slyly shoving a spoonful of food into Bo's mouth. His idea had worked. Bo forgot about his embarrassment, hanging on Sandy's every word, and Luke took advantage of it, feeding his cousin without him even being aware that the older cousin had won that battle. Bo had always been stubborn, and Luke had learned long ago on how to outsmart him without him even knowing it.

"I am a Blue Devil," she said, then started laughing as she thought about how ironic it was. "I went to Duke." The entire table lost their dinner as they laughed so hard that they turned red.

"I didn't know that they named a University after us," Uncle Jesse said in his best civilized voice, only prolonging their mirth.

* * *

The next day, Sandy did something she never did. She showed up for work in a Duke University t-shirt and shorts. If their conversation the day before hadn't been so funny, they would have paid little attention to it, concentrating on her extremely nice, bare legs instead. However, as soon as they saw it, they picked up where they had left off the day before.

"I never wear any type of logo affiliated clothing to work, but somehow, I just couldn't resist," she explained.

"How come?" Daisy asked, not understanding why she wouldn't if she wore jeans.

"Cause you never know when it's gonna start an argument," she answered. "I didn't think that you'd be offended, though, considering it is your last name and everything."

"Why would that start an argument?" Daisy asked, finding this a strange topic.

"Because a Longhorn never knows if they're walking into a house where an avid Sooner Fan, or Aggie Fan lives, and rivalries like those really do go way beyond the playing field. Some schools just hate others, and I don't need that getting in the way of my work. I'd hate to think that someone would let it interfere with their treatment or the treatment of a loved one, but it does happen."

"It don't make no sense to me," Daisy said, and Uncle Jesse agreed.

"Tell that to a die hard fan," Sandy advised.

* * *

Sandy asked Bo if he minded a slight variation in their schedule that day. He shook his head no, and she told him she appreciated that. She shared her idea with him, saying that she wanted to start with the bars so they could get them out of the way, and then she wanted him to be able to rest a little. Luke was getting ready to pick up Bo, when she asked if there was an extra hat around. He pointed to a cap on the rack. Making sure it was loose enough so that it wouldn't irritate his scalp, she put it on top of Bo's head. "Don't want you getting sunburned," she told him. He looked up at her, his insecurity showing about the still healing wound. She just winked at him, and told Luke to bring him outside.

She talked to Luke a little before they got started, making him understand that he couldn't let Bo fall, not in the very beginning. She'd never met anyone yet who wasn't really afraid of the intimidating device, and a fall might mean that they'd never do it again, but he had to, if he wanted to walk.

As she had promised in advance, it was scary and it was hard work, the hardest Bo had ever known. He'd barely moved but a few inches, and wondered just how this was ever going to help. She assured him that it would, and it would become less difficult.

"Bo, right now your arms are having to support all your weight. They're not used to doing that. They're not really designed to do that. Your legs are. We're going to teach your legs again how to do it, and your feet how to move, which you already know how to do. Remember all that wiggling last week? We were imitating the movements that our feet make when we walk, so see, I wasn't just being silly. Although, you do have real cute feet," she laughed, and he blushed. "Anyway, before that even happens, you're going to be building up your arm strength, too, and by the time that everything is evened out the way it's supposed to be, you're going to be very strong, but it's not going to happen over night. Now, I know that you trust Luke, and I hope you're gonna be able to trust me, cause we're not going to let you fall."

By the time they were finished, Bo was exhausted, hardly able to keep his eyes open. If she hadn't scheduled in a nap, she would have had to make time for it. He couldn't have went on if he tried. Luke got him settled in bed, telling him that he did great, and how proud of him he was.

"I love you, Bo," he said, as Bo held out his hand.

When he moved aside, Sandy sat down next to him and brushed the hair out of his eyes, another gesture she had not meant to do. He opened his eyes when he felt her touch.

"Luke's right, you really did do great, Bo! I'm proud of you, too."

That seemed to make him feel better, and he grinned.

"Now you take a little nap, cause we got some stuff we gotta do when you wake up. Okay?"

Dozing off, he nodded. She bent over and kissed him on the forehead, but he was too far under to open his eyes. He did, however, feel it, and she couldn't believe that she had totally lost control of her own actions. Her brain wasn't doing the thinking around this patient, her heart was, and Bo Duke had most definitely managed to capture that.

When they walked out of the boys' room, she told Luke that she needed to go get a few things, but asked if he could be around when she got back. She wanted to have Bo back outside for what she was planning, and she knew that she couldn't carry him. He promised that he would be there, and if he wasn't, she or Daisy could give him a call on the CB. She promised to return.

Before asking for Bo, Sandy found a shaded spot under a big tree by the side of the house. She spread out a blanket and set down a basket, then asked Luke to go get his cousin. Bo saw what was waiting for him, and wondered if this was business or pleasure. Sandy asked Luke to set him down so that his back was resting against the tree as she slid in a large cushion behind him, Apologetically, she then informed him that this was one of those rare times when she and Bo needed to be alone. Luke excused himself, wondering like Bo, just what the heck was going on.

"I hope you're hungry cause I've got some really great stuff here. Fried chicken, cornbread, and an apple. See, this week, we're gonna work on teaching you how to feed yourself. How does that sound?" She waited for a reaction, and was glad that he seemed pretty excited. "This may sound like a strange menu, but everything has two things in common. It's big enough for you to hold it, and it's solid enough not to need a utensil, which we won't work with til later this week. So, are you hungry?" she asked, and he nodded.

Sandy tucked a napkin in his shirt as she laid out the food. Supporting Bo with one arm, she leaned him forward as she scooted behind him, then tugged him back so that she was directly behind him, cradling him. Bo was taken off guard by the feeling that was running through him, wondering what she was doing.

"I'm not getting fresh with you, Bo."

Before she could continue, he said, "darn," shocking them both.

"Bo, that's great!" she told him, hugging him, and making a mental note that he had probably just responded without thinking about it. Now she had to figure out a way to use that later on. "And funny," she told him. "You are a funny guy, aren't you?" He shrugged. "Well, anyway, I'm not getting fresh with you. There are certain things that I can only do by sitting like this. Did you ever have someone try to show you how to hold a baseball bat?" Bo nodded. "They probably wrapped their arms around you to demonstrate the right grip and stance, right?" He nodded again. "That's what I'm doing. So let's eat."

* * *

The last thing that they needed to work on was his speech, and she really wanted to do that out of ear shot of the family, too. She had something in mind, and she wanted it to be a surprise.

"You know, Bo, you're pretty lucky. You've got a family who really loves you," she said, and he nodded. "They tell you all the time, too. Don't they?" He nodded again. "I'll bet you'd like to be able to tell them that you love them back, wouldn't you?"

Bo cast his eyes downward, afraid of his own reaction, but he nodded.

"Well darlin, that's exactly what we're going to do then," she told him, cupping his face and turning it upwards, trying to convey that he had nothing to be ashamed of in showing his feelings.

Capitalizing on the noises that she'd had him making the week before and his spontaneous remark, their goal was for Bo to be able to say a few words on cue by Saturday. They'd work on specific words and phrases first, then move into being able to converse freely. This was only a foundation just like a house was built on.

* * *

The therapist only gave a very short verbal report that week, stating that they were in a time when results couldn't always be seen. Of course, they'd seen him working on the bars, and that progress was being measured in inches, but to Bo, it was really miles, and it was larger than it might sound. They'd also seen Bo's grip and grasp getting better and stronger, and they were going to start working on finger movements the following week.

She didn't elaborate on his speech, only saying that it was improving and she thought Bo wanted to share something with them. She turned the floor over to her student, then slid into the kitchen. This was a family moment.

The Dukes encouraged him, praising as far as he'd come. Slowly, he looked at each one of them. "Luke," he said, which they were all used to. Then he looked at his uncle and clearly said, "Uncle...Jesse," which caused a dead silence. Daisy and Luke stopped looking at Bo, turning to look at their uncle, who was recovering from the shock. "Daisy." Unable to contain their excitement, they jumped up and ran over to their youngest, hugging him and kissing him. They never dreamt there was more. As they were telling him that they loved him, he started talking again, and they froze, being quiet so they could hear. "I...love...ya'll." There wasn't a dry eye in the room, or the kitchen, when they were finished.

Bo looked around the room for his teacher. She winked at him, and he held his hand out, which was her cue to come over. Taking his hand, she knelt down so that she could see him better. She had no idea that this week for show and tell, she was going to be part of the audience. He looked at her, and plainly said, "Sandy."

It was her turn to be shocked. "Oh, you sneak!" she exclaimed, which told everyone else that she didn't know he could say that. It seemed that Bo had been doing a little homework that week on his own.

Squeezing her hand a little tighter, she returned it, but Bo wasn't finished. "Thank...you," he told her, and that was enough to send a few drops of water running down her face, which he brushed away.

Taking his face in both of her hands, she told him that he was very welcome, and she was very proud of him, encouraging him to continue saying new words. Then, once again, she found herself kissing his forehead.

"This calls for a celebration!" Uncle Jesse announced, and everyone looked at him. "Just lunch," he grinned. "Well, I didn't know we were going to be celebrating or I would have fixed something better," he said, inviting everyone to sit down.

Sandy sat across from Bo, and nodded, silently telling him to go ahead and put into use what else they had spent all week practicing. She let Daisy fix his plate, but announced that there was one little thing they'd forgotten in their presentation. When everyone was seated, she told Bo to go ahead. Reaching for his biscuit, Bo grabbed it. His touch was a little too hard yet, so he made a lot of crumbs, but he still managed to get the roll to his mouth and took a bite, grinning like a cheshire cat. Then he put it down, and grabbed his spoon. He couldn't hold it between his fingers like one normally did, but he could pick it up the way a child who was learning to eat would. By the time he got it and the food to his mouth, a lot of it had been spilled, but in the primitive sense of the word, Bo Duke could feed himself. He smiled at her, and she smiled back, as the family asked if there was anything else they'd forgotten to tell them.

Uncle Jesse led them in a heartfelt prayer of thanks, and Bo surprised himself when he heard himself say 'Amen.' Sandy knew that words would now start flowing. The next step was to get them to flow together more easily, but that was gonna take a little time and a little practice. Uncle Jesse announced that he wanted to propose a toast. "To Bo. We're so glad to have you back, son, and I can see now that you're going to be just fine." As the kids raised their glasses to the man of the hour, the Duke patriarch cleared his voice, indicating that he wasn't finished. "And to Bertha, where ever she may be." The Duke cousins all looked at each other, but Sandy hadn't understood exactly who he was referring to. "The Good Lord giveth and the Good Lord taketh away. He took away a BattleAxe, then gaveth a miracle worker. To Sandy."

"How'd you ever get into this?" Luke asked her.

"Accident, I guess, or fate. I knew that I wanted to work in medicine, just hadn't decided which field. I was working in the hospital at Duke as a tech when I got involved with a patient who had been in a car accident, and I found the more I worked with her, the more  _I_  was getting out of it."

"Did she recover, too?" Daisy asked.

Sandy thought back to the incident, letting the events run through her mind like a movie in fast forward. Everyone at the table was watching her, knowing that she wasn't with them anymore.

"Sandy?" Bo asked, bringing her back.

Emerald eyes looked at Bo, and smiled, liking the way he said her name. "Sorry," she apologized. "She wasn't as lucky as Bo," she said, wanting to drop the subject.

"So, how do you pick who you work with?" Daisy asked, not catching on that they should have changed the topic.

"Oh! That's easy!" Sandy remarked, sounding more like her old self. "They have to be male, blonde, and very good looking," she said, directing her comment at Bo, who snorted.

"Then how'd you take Bo, here?" Luke asked, regretting his words as soon as they escaped his lips. He'd always kidded Bo, but not since his cousin had almost died. He'd been operating from his protective mode, and that included sparing his best friend from even his own mouth. To his surprise, he heard Bo laugh at his joke. Glancing over at him, Luke saw him looking directly at him, his eyes thanking him for treating him in a more normal manner and assuring him that everything was all right.

Oblivious to the private conversation taking place between the boys, Sandy answered the question, "he fit the criteria." There wasn't anything funny about the way she had said it, and Bo's eyes darted in her direction, wondering if she had just complimented him.

"No, seriously," Daisy stammered, "how do you determine who you'll work with?"

"I do have guidelines," Sandy replied. "I take on the cases that are going to be the hardest, but that really have the best chance of total recovery. There's plenty of physical and speech therapists that can deal with minor or routine type injuries, but complex and serious ones don't have a lot of specialists. The one thing about those kinds of cases is that everyone is different, and each one has to have a customized plan. That makes it more interesting and more challenging. I don't work with patients whose injuries are permanent and irreversible anymore, because there isn't anything that you can really do for them, and they're often helped more by emotional counseling in learning how to deal with and accept what's happened to them. I like possibilities," she concluded.

"Well, you are certainly very good at what you do, so I think you made the right choice," Luke told her.

She thanked him as everyone agreed. "Because there's hope, I get to work with the best patients. Isn't that right, Bo?"

"Yes," he said, again surprising himself with another new word.

"I told you that you'd be a chatterbox in no time," she giggled.

Two months ago, Luke would have replied with a smart allec comment about how to shut his cousin up. Still regretting his earlier jibe, Luke stopped himself. This ordeal had taught him to never take anything for granted. Bo's constant talking used to drive him crazy at times, but it was nothing compared to the silence of the last few weeks.


	9. Hard Days VS Bad Days

CHAPTER 9

POT SHOTS

HARD DAYS VS. BAD DAYS

The next several weeks 'show and tell' wasn't quite as exciting as it had been in the beginning. Sandy did her best to explain that much of the foundation had been laid, now it was working on fine tuning and building. She knew that families were often disappointed, but the Dukes were supportive of both her and Bo. They trusted her completely, and if she had said that the sun rose in the west, they would have taken her word for it without question.

The most noticeable progress was the work they were doing on the bars. Bo was now able to support himself and to make it across the entire platform. He fell a couple times, letting his fear get the better of him the first time. It was bound to happen, it always did. It was natural for a patient not want to continue afterwards, but Sandy got a glimpse of just how stubborn Bo could be when he wanted. As a professional, she knew that the only way to handle the incident was to make him get right back up. It wasn't like she hadn't done this before with every client she'd ever worked with, she had. If ever there was a need for a firm approach, this was it. In theory, it wasn't complex, but theory and real life tended to conflict, especially when the therapist was known to have her own temper. Professionals weren't immune to hard days, either. She'd had to learn over the years to control her mouth, but Bo's eyes weren't the only ones that could shoot daggers when he wasn't happy. Teacher and student soon learned that they didn't need words to express themselves. Their eyes were quite capable of putting on a fireworks show that rivaled any Fourth of July display. Luckily, Luke had been there to intervene before a hard day really turned into a bad one.

Asking for a few minutes alone with his feisty cousin, Sandy was only too happy to comply. She needed to compose herself, and she trusted Luke enough to believe that he could get through to Bo. A short walk sounded like the perfect solution.

Strolling through the tree covered area behind the Duke farm house, Sandy's mind wasn't thinking about the scenery; it was playing a game of tug-of-war where she was only the referee. Her hands were clinched so tightly that her fingernails were starting to dig into the palms. If she had been further away, she would have screamed. Instead, she settled for muttering to herself. The problem was she really didn't know why. She tried to tell herself that she was just frustrated or tired, but the little voice in the back of her head was only laughing at her and her poor excuses, both of them knowing that was all they really were. She didn't understand her own reactions, and that wasn't normal for Sandy Maverick. She'd only been this upset once before, and that was with a loved one not a patient. That case was her only failure. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and as it fell on top of her, she plopped to the ground as if it had actually collapsed on her.

Sandy's anger was gone, now replaced with her own fear. Her reaction was unusual, but she didn't view Bo Duke as just another patient. There was something very special about him, he touched a part of her that no one ever had. As a therapist, it was her job to prod a patient along. Knowing that it was for their own good made it easier. It was the professional way to handle things, yet something about Bo and his entire family went well beyond professionalism. She cared about all her patients, but her personal approach had finally backfired. She cared about this patient a little too much, and seeing him give up had struck a nerve. He was too special to her for failure to be an option.

Meanwhile, Luke had his hands full with his cousin. He'd tried the gentle approach, but that hadn't gotten him anywhere. He tried the reasonable approach, and was rewarded with the same results. Understanding how important it was that Bo get back up, he was left with no other options.

"Do you want the agency to send back Bertha?"

Bo looked at the dark haired man hovering above him. Suddenly, the bars didn't sound so bad after all. Falling wasn't fun, but it was nothing compared to the thought of having his first therapist return. He'd seen the movie, he wasn't interested in the sequel. He couldn't afford to push Sandy away, and it wasn't just his physical well-being that he was thinking about. He needed her, in more ways than he had even admitted to himself yet. If she decided to quit, he didn't know what he'd do, and even if the agency didn't send Bertha, he knew there was only one Sandy Maverick.

"Up!" he told Luke.

Sandy stepped through the clearing, not sure of what to expect. Seeing Bo standing on the platform looking sheepish forced her to grin. Trying to act as normally as possible, she planned on forgetting what had just happened, though what she had discovered about her own feelings couldn't be dismissed that easily.

"Sorry," Bo said, offering the olive branch.

"Me too," she replied, accepting it. "Now, let's try this again."

* * *

With Bo's arms getting stronger, he was now able to push the wheels on his chariot by himself. That feat alone made him feel more independent than he had in weeks. He could wheel himself to the refrigerator, open the door, and help himself to whatever he wanted as long as it wasn't on the top two shelves. Daisy made sure that she kept all the foods he liked where he could get at them, glad that his appetite had returned to normal. Luke and Uncle Jesse had discussed building a ramp so that Bo could even go outside on his own, but the Texas Twister told them it wasn't necessary. She had already ordered a set of braces for Bo, and she had no doubt he would master those quickly.

Sandy had said something to Bo when she first arrived, that to date, she hadn't carried out, yet. Taking a leisurely stroll outside, she told him to hold on as the front of the wheels on his chair left the ground. If he was alarmed at first, it didn't last long, as he let out a laugh the size of Texas. "I owed you that wheelie," she informed him, glad that except for the time that Bo first fell, they hadn't had any repeat scuffles. They'd both come away from the experience with more tolerance and understanding.

Bo's vocabulary was getting stronger, too. His brain had finally learned how to communicate with his mouth in getting from thought to verbal utterance. However, his talking was still very choppy, and putting words together was hard. Sandy decided to change her approach. She was still trying to capitalize on the discovery that Bo often said things when he wasn't thinking about saying them. What she didn't know was that Bo had always spoken first and thought later. Sitting directly in front of him, she held his face in her hands. "Look at me Bo. Don't think about what or how you're going to say it, just say it without thinking, doesn't matter what."

It wasn't working. The patient wasn't cooperating, and he wasn't thinking about talking. He was thinking about her. Seeing that she had lost him to his own thoughts, but never dreaming that she was the center of them, she felt herself becoming frustrated again. Believing that her student just wasn't paying attention, and wanting to avoid another scene from getting out of hand, she decided to use an alternative method. So far, she hadn't done it, but she had warned him that she would if he gave her no other choice. Making good on that promise, she called him Beauregard. The other Dukes stopped what they were doing, wondering what Bo's reaction would be. Someone calling him that had always made him mad in the past, and one thing that hadn't been affected by the shooting had been Bo's quick temper. They feared that he'd react first, and regret later. Whatever fallout would follow, it worked. It brought him back to the present immediately. At first, he looked at her, quite surprised. Then, the most unusual thing happened. Instead of getting mad, he started grinning. She grinned, too. "Okay, Bo, tell me not to call you that. Look at me, and tell me not to call you Beauregard."

Clear as a bell, Bo said to her, "please don't call me that."

"Well, since you asked so nicely, ok," she told him, then pointed out that he had strung five words together without a pause. Her compliment would have been sufficient, but Sandy watched as her hand ruffled Bo's hair. Bo had some kind of magnetism that forced her body parts to obey him instead of her brain. She scolded herself, again, to no avail. No matter how many times she resolved that she wouldn't do things like that anymore, that little voice just kept laughing. It was hard to obey a command when deep down you didn't want to. She liked touching Bo, and he wasn't the only one affected by the physical therapy.

Bo was proud of himself when he realized what he'd done. If she could make him talk right again, he thought he might be able to endure being called Beauregard for the rest of his life, but only by her, and only on occasion.

* * *

What started out as Bo's greatest strength had quickly turned into one of the most difficult, his hands. Teaching someone how to use ten fingers separately and in conjunction with each other was proving to be a tall mountain to climb. None of Sandy's other clients had ever had that much trouble before, always finding the ability to talk the most challenging. She was starting to run out of ideas until one day, she noticed a guitar sitting in the corner, and Bo was looking at it.

"Do you play?" she asked.

"Yes," he answered, and an idea was born.

Grabbing the instrument, she moved herself onto the floor with her back against the couch. Fixing her position, she asked Luke to set Bo down without giving it a second thought. Luke Duke gave her a strange look before she remembered that he hadn't seen them sit that way when Bo was learning how to eat. She'd always had Luke just sit him up against the tree, and he was gone before she got into place. Before she could explain, Bo did it for her.

"She's...not...getting...fresh,...Lukas."

"Too bad," he consoled his cousin, shrugging before picking him up and putting him where she requested.

When she made sure Bo was comfortable, she put the guitar in his hands. He moved put his appendages where they belonged, but he couldn't quite position them right. That's where she came in. Just as she had helped him in first picking up food and utensils, she was manipulating his hands to go where they belonged. It wasn't long before they were strumming out a tune.

Luke had stepped into the other room, but continued to watch, amazed by the results. He really thought she was a genius in her methods, being able to pick up on what a person liked, and then to use it as a form of therapy and motivation. He watched them sitting together. Compared to Bo, she was small, yet she looked like she was fully capable of protecting him from any harm. The expression on Bo's face went from surprise, to happy, to just content. Anyone who didn't know what was going on would have simply thought that they were a couple enjoying a little leisure time. They looked like they belonged together.

Daisy and Jesse heard the guitar, and wondered what was going on. Music was something they enjoyed on a regular basis, but not prior to noon. Coming in through the door, Luke told them to be quiet, but to come over to where he was standing. They all stood there watching, thankful that a little more of the old Bo was returning everyday.

As for Bo, he couldn't have been happier. He was feeling pretty good about even partially being able to make music again. It had always been a favorite hobby of his and Luke's, next to driving the General, and he missed it. Since he'd been incapacitated, Luke would play alone in the evenings. Bo enjoyed that, too, but playing together was just one more thing he wanted to do with his cousin again, and now he believed that he would.

From the topic of music, Bo's mind shifted gears to his body. One thing he knew for sure he wasn't, was paralyzed. Every time Sandy touched him, he felt little sensations like electric shocks pulsate throughout him. Her hand on his arm or face was stimulating, but feeling her pressing against the entire length of his back was almost more than he could endure, and his body was beginning to respond, something else that hadn't happened in a long time. Now, he was praying that it didn't. He would have been totally embarrassed, and he thought that if she saw, she'd never sit that way again, and Bo wanted to feel it again, and again. Luckily, his body wasn't completely healed so he managed to avoid finding himself in a compromising position.

When they finished the first song, he turned his head toward her. "You...play...too?"

"A little," she said. "Now, what shall play next?"


	10. Fiancee?

CHAPTER 10

POT SHOTS

FIANCEE?

"Hey Luke," Daisy called to her oldest cousin. "Come here and take a look at this."

Luke got up from the couch where he was helping Sandy put Bo's new braces on. She smiled up at Bo and told him they'd manage just fine by themselves.

"Sure...will," he answered back.

From the door in the kitchen, they could hear the other two cousins talking.

"Well, will you look at that!" Luke said. "We don't see too many fancy cars like that around here."

That was enough to activate Bo's curiousity, and he motioned that he wanted to try out his new apparatus. Sandy would have preferred to have had Luke helping them, in case Bo lost his balance, but it looked like the blonde was going to get up with or without her help.

As Luke walked outside, Bo walked into the kitchen with the assistance of his braces like he'd been doing it all his life. Sandy smiled, thinking that being stubborn had its good points. When Bo Duke was determined to do something, there was no stopping him. Right that minute, he was determined to see what was going on, and just what kind of car had arrived. He loved cars, especially fancy ones, which he equated to mean sports cars. He wasn't disappointed, it was a genuine Jaguar, complete with the hood ornament.

"Whew!" Bo said.

Daisy didn't even notice that Bo was literally standing next to her, too busy trying to figure out who their guest was. Both Bo and Daisy were watching as the car door opened, and a man got out. Luke and the cowboy stood there speaking for a minute, then Luke started walking back toward the house. The stranger remained by his vehicle.

Sandy had been busy making sure she was watching her patient rather than watching what her patient was watching. She glanced out nonchalantly, glancing back at Bo before doing a double take. "Oh my God!" she cried out, pushing past Bo and Daisy, flying out the door past Luke, and full steam ahead toward the stranger.

All three of the Duke cousins were watching with a combination of curiousity and caution. They continued to observe as Sandy hurried over to the stranger, something in her movements sending a message that she wasn't happy to see her visitor. Bo was feeling anxious, not knowing whether he needed be able to pounce, which he couldn't, or to be jealous, should it turn out that she was glad to see Roy Rodgers. Luke had now made it up the stairs and was standing on the other side of the door, giving his cousin the 'don't worry,' look. If this was foe rather than friend, Luke would take care of him. Lost in the events taking place outside, neither Luke or Daisy still realized that Bo was standing beside them on his own two feet.

"What are you doing here?" Sandy asked the man, making it clear that she did know him, but sounding more annoyed than receptive.

"Why, Sandra Kay Maverick, looking for you, of course!"

"Why?" she asked him.

"Well, is that any kind of a way to talk to your fiancée, sugar? Because I missed you, darling, and I've come to take you home. How'd ya ever wind up here anyway? he asked, glancing around the farm with a disapproving manor. "You were supposed to be home months ago."

Despite the fancy car, the man standing in front of Sandy was all cowboy, and all Texas. He was tall, slender but built well, and had a handsome face with curly brown hair that was a little on the longer side, which they could see sticking out from under his tall hat.

Bo heard the word fiancée, and felt a jealousy like he'd never known before. He also felt hurt like he'd never known, since she had specifically said she didn't have a boyfriend or significant other, and he couldn't understand why she'd lied to him. Luke and Daisy looked at each other when they heard the title, then looked over at Bo, and saw the fire flying from his eyes.

"Billy Ray, I don't know where you ever got this silly notion, but I am not now, nor have I ever been your fiancée, nor will I ever be," she shouted at him. "Now, I want you to get in your car over there and go back home."

Bo felt relieved, hearing her deny that they had ever been engaged, but still was getting an uneasy feeling. Something wasn't right. No one drove that far to see a fiancee that never existed. He had a feeling that something was going to happen, but hoped that the man would just take her advice and go.

"I just got here. I've driven several hundred miles to see ya, darlin."

"Then you've wasted your time and your gas! Now get out of here."

"How can you talk to me like that?"

"Because you don't listen very well if I don't. Shoot, you don't listen very well when I do." Taking a breath, she went on. "Billy Ray, I'm only gonna say this once so listen real good. I am not interested in you, so leave me alone. I swear, if you follow me again, I'm gonna get a restraining order against you, and I'm sure that will make your grandpappy real proud."

Billy Ray didn't like her threat, that was obvious. He was a man of power and not accustomed to having anyone speak to him with anything but respect. He grabbed her arm, hard. "No one talks to me like that," he ground out.

"Well I just did, Billy Ray. Now go back to Lubbock and leave me alone."

"You're making a big mistake, Sandy," he ground out.

"No pal, you're the one making the mistake," Luke said, having moved from the porch back down to the yard. Billy Ray let go of her arm, momentarily staring Luke up and down. "Now, the little lady asked you to leave, so I suggest that you go. This is private property, and your trespassing."

Dismissing Luke's threat, the stranger reached out to Sandy again, but this time, she jumped back. Luke's fist connected with his face, and before too long, they were rolling around on the ground.

Bo wanted to help, but he was helpless. All he could do was watch, cursing himself and the man who had showed up without an invitation. Bo was safe in the knowledge that Luke would always protect him and anything that was important to him, and Sandy couldn't have been more special to Bo Duke. This was one fight that Bo wanted for his own, but in his present condition, he had no choice but to let Luke fight his battle for him, alone. He knew that his cousin could take care of himself, normally, but today, the cowboy seemed to have the upper hand. Sandy started tugging on Billy Ray's shirt to get him off of Luke, and it worked. Unfortunately, it directed the intruder's attention away from Luke Duke and back toward Sandy. In a move none of them had ever seen before, Billy Ray hauled off and slugged her, the same way he would have if she'd been a man. She fell backwards, in surprise, holding the side of her face. Bo's blood boiled, and Daisy gasped. Luke got to his feet before either of them could react. Sandy bounced back, too, now angrier than an old wet hen. Bringing her arm back, she punched Billy Ray right in the nose and this time, he stumbled backwards. This was neither Bo nor Luke's fight, it was hers.

Before anything else could transpire, a shot rang out. Uncle Jesse heard the commotion and had seen enough. He grabbed his shotgun, and let off a warning round. Now it was aimed at the trespasser. "Next one won't miss. Now get off my land."

Billy Ray climbed in the car, pausing to look at Sandy a minute. No words were exchanged, but the look of loathing that the man sent her direction hadn't gone unnoticed, except by the recipient. The powerful engine revved up, and pulled away from the farmstead.

"And don't ya'll come back, either," she screamed, kicking up the dirt with the toe of her boot.

Luke and Jesse ran over to her. "Are you all right?" Luke asked, turning her face so that he could see. He'd never witnessed a man strike a woman square like that before, and wondered what kind of animal would do such a thing. Despite the fancy clothes and car, Luke surmised that money and manners didn't necessarily go hand in hand, and Sandy's face had the bruise to prove it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you?" she asked, starting to check him over, terribly embarrassed by the ordeal.

"I'm ok," he told her, trying to wipe the blood away from his mouth without her seeing.

The attempt was futile. Sandy reached into her pocket, retrieving a tissue which she gently pressed to the corner of Luke's mouth. If the steam hadn't been coming from her ears, she would have laughed at the sight she and Luke Duke must have looked like right then. Unfortunately, humor was the furthest thing from her mind.

"C'mon. Let's get you two inside the house," Uncle Jesse said, helping Luke, who was helping Sandy.

"Listen ya'll, I'm real sorry about him," she told them in a voice dripping with shame and guilt. "He just keeps showing up, and no matter what I do, I can't get rid of him."

"How'd he find you?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"Oh, I know how he found me, and I'm gonna take care of that right away," she replied as they climbed the last step to the porch.

Bo had almost suffered a relapse when he saw Billy Ray's fist connect with Sandy's beautiful face. He'd never felt so worthless in his life, having to stand by without being able to do a single thing to help. It was even worse than not being able to take care of himself. Luke had been there, like he always was, but that didn't do anything to help Bo's self-worth. He'd come a long way in a short time, but now he understood he still had a long way to go so that he never again found himself in that situation. Seeing Sandy flatten the stranger's nose offered some vindication, and had given him a moment to calm down. He still wanted to teach Billy Ray a lesson that he should have learned a long time ago, but that would have to wait. Sandy was his immediate concern. He wanted to touch her, but he needed his arms to keep himself upright on his braces, only adding to his feelings of inadequacy. The only thing he had that he could use effectively was his voice. "Sandy, ...you...ok?" Bo asked, saying the only silly thing he could think of, but the amount of concern overshadowed the simplicity of the words.

"Yeah Bo, I'm fine," she replied, trying to downplay what had happened.

"No sugar, you're not," Daisy told her. "There's already a nasty shiner there. C'mon, I'll get both of you some ice."

For the first time since the expensive car pulled in the driveway, someone noticed Bo. "Bo! You're standing up," Uncle Jesse said, and Luke and Daisy finally noticed it, too.

"Oh honey, you've been standing next to me the whole time and I didn't even notice," Daisy told him, rubbing his back and laying her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry. I think it's great!"

"Bo! I can't believe it. You're actually walking," Luke proclaimed with both shock and pride. Forgetting about his own new boo-boos, he put his arms around his cousin.

"I'm sorry that Billy Ray upstaged your performance, Bo," Sandy told him.

"It's...ok...long...as...you're...ok," he told her, hoping that she didn't now see him for the wimp he felt like.

"I'm okay," she assured him, trying to hide her own shame and control her elevated anger.

Daisy told Sandy to sit down on the couch, and Bo made it very clear that he wanted to be the one to sit next to her. Luke eased him down, and he turned to face her. Looking at her eye, he said, "ouch." She gave him a woeful smile, then closed her eyes. Daisy came back carrying two bags of ice, and Bo reached up for one. Gently leaning forward, he pressed it to her face. Feeling the cold, she jumped and opened her eyes to find Bo's looking right into hers. "Easy," he cooed, only beginning to calm after being allowed to touch her.

"I think you got this backwards," she told him. "I'm supposed to be taking care of you."

"I...don't...mind.,"

She grinned and shut her eyes again. She didn't mean to, but before she knew it, she had started dozing off, slumping over toward Bo, who was still applying the cold compress and trying to support her. They let her nap for a minute, then started wondering if she might have a concussion, and if they should take her to the hospital or call Doc Appleby.

Uncle Jesse tapped her shoulder. "Sandy?"

Her eyes flew open, and she realized that she had actually fallen asleep for a little while. "Oh my gosh," she giggled, turning almost the same color as her hair. "I'm so sorry." She looked up at Bo, who was still holding the ice bag in place, studying her carefully. "Here," she said, taking it from him. "If you've been holding that all this time, your arm's probably ready to fall asleep."

"It's...ok."

"Then you really did build up your upper arm strength," she observed. "I think school's out for today, kiddies," she announced, struggling to get to her feet. "I really am sorry about all this. You sure you're ok, Luke?"

"Fine," he confirmed. "Just a normal day in Hazzard."

Sandy raised her eyebrows, but decided to let the comment go. She'd heard some of the stories about their fair county, but her imagination just wasn't up to that much activity. "Ya know, I think I should get going. I've brought enough excitement into your home for one day."

Luke and Jesse looked at each other, thinking of a way to stall. "Why don't you stay for lunch?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"Oh, I appreciate the invitation, but I'm really not hungry." She didn't volunteer that she really wasn't feeling well, and doubted that she'd be able to keep anything down. "I think I lost my appetite."

"You know, it might not be a good idea for you to leave just yet." Luke stated, and she looked at him, not understanding what he was talking about. "You could have a concussion. You shouldn't be driving or alone."

"I don't have a concussion," she dismissed, but she didn't tell them that she did have a pounding headache.

"Besides, if that Billy Ray found you here, he might find you at your hotel room," Luke argued.

"I can handle Billy Ray," she said, thinking how absurd that must have sounded considering both she and Luke had the bruises to prove otherwise.

"We'd just feel better if you wouldn't take that chance," Uncle Jesse told her. "At least stay here for tonight. Even if he's still around, it'll give him some time to cool off."

"Oh, I can't do that!" she exclaimed, going down the list of all the reasons why she shouldn't, reminding herself that she'd already gotten in way over her head with these people.

"Please," Bo said, his eyes begging. "Good...therapists...hard...to...find."

She couldn't help but laugh, but regretted it immediately as her head screamed in protest. "You really are a funny guy, Bo," she said, but without her normal enthusiasm.

"Please?" he asked again.

"I really don't think it's necessary, but ok." She didn't have the strength to argue, and she had a feeling that they weren't going to take no for an answer. Reasoning that it didn't make sense to argue about a pre-determined fate was easier than admitting that she could refuse Bo Duke nothing when he batted his baby blues at her.

"You got a headache, sugar?" Daisy asked after she winced unintentionally.

"Yeah," she confessed, rubbing the side of her head.

"Well how bout I get you a couple of aspirin, and then you can go lay down in my room?"

"My...room...better," Bo told her, grinning wickedly.

"Not under this roof, Bo Duke," Uncle Jesse said, correcting him for the first time since he'd been hurt. Things in Hazzard really were starting to get back to normal.

* * *

Sandy couldn't believe that she slept almost six hours, waking after dinner only to be told that they'd kept some warm. She still wasn't hungry, but she knew if she didn't eat, they'd worry. Thanking them for their kindness, she apologized for the main event, again.

After dinner, she asked if she could use the phone. Trying to give her some privacy, the Duke family went into the living room. Unfortunately, they could still hear most of what she was saying.

After asking Mae Bell to make a collect call, she spoke to someone named Louisa, then asked if she could talk to her mother. They knew the instant that Mrs. Maverick came on the line, because all Sandy could do was try to interrupt.

"Mama, why'd did you tell Billy Ray where I was again?"

_(Pause)_

"He showed up here causing all kinds of trouble. You have got to stop giving him my whereabouts mama, or I'm not going to tell you where I'm going anymore."

_(Pause)_

"Mama, I don't care if he is the heir to the biggest oil fortune in Texas. I don't love him, I don't even like him, and I don't care about his money. In case you've forgotten, I have a job and I get paid. I don't need his."

_(Pause)_

"No mama, I don't care. He'd need every penny of his fortune to buy himself a personality and the good sense that God blessed a turkey with. Do you know that he called me his fiancée today? He's crazy! His granddaddy was a patient of mine, and all I ever did was extend him some common courtesy in passing. We never even had a date, so where he got fiancée from is beyond me, but I can tell him this, I wouldn't go out with him if he were the last man on earth. So please, stop telling him where I'm at. Do you know he hit my patient's cousin?"

_(Pause)_

"Yes mama, he is all right, but one of these days Billy Ray's gonna go too far."

_(Pause)_

"Thank you. Now, how's everyone else?"

The two women talked about other members of the family, and Sandy's tone eventually returned to normal. It sounded like she hadn't spoken to her mother in a little while, but they'd picked up on the fact that she talked to the youngest brother on a regular basis. They'd already surmised that the two of them were pretty close, not only from the things she'd told them, but the way she talked about him. Sandy Maverick's voice could be interpreted easily. She never left you guessing about what it was that she loved or hated. Even when her words were carefully chosen, her voice wasn't so easily disguised, and her eyes provided the punctuation mark.

Finally, the conversation came to an end as Sandy told her mother that she missed her and that she loved her. "I'll call you Sunday night, and just remember, stop talking to Billy Ray. Okay mama, love ya, too. Bye."

Jesse Duke owed her so much for everything that she'd done for Bo, but for as long as she'd been on the phone, he was grateful that she'd called c


	11. Chapter 11

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 11

FAILURE AND SUCCESS

Since the night that Sandy stayed with the family after Billy Ray's visit, she found herself spending evenings with the Dukes regularly. The promise of a lonely night in an empty hotel room paled in comparison to being with a family she truly loved. She already had two degrees from Duke University, now she was working on her ph.D. She knew it wasn't the best judgement she'd ever shown, only complicating matters and her feelings further. As a professional, she should have been listening to her head, but as a human with feelings, it was her heart that had her ear. Throwing caution to the wind, she told herself that she'd worry about the rest when the time came.

It didn't make any difference what they were doing, and they didn't go out of their way to do anything special. A good movie and popcorn, a night of television, playing a game, or watching Luke help Bo play his guitar, it didn't matter. Sandy was as comfortable there as she would have been in her own family room back in Texas, and they seemed at ease with her presence, too. Most nights, it was just Sandy and the men, as Daisy was usually working. When she was home, Daisy almost enjoyed having her around the most, saying that now it was even, girls against guys, something she'd never had before.

Bo and Uncle Jesse liked checkers, Luke liked chess, and Daisy liked cards. Sometimes they played one against one, other times in teams, always guys against girls. They quickly discovered that Sandy was a competitor. Anything she played, she played to win, and she could, too. No one in the household had ever really been able to beat the eldest Duke boy when it came to a chess match, so when Sandy did it the first time, she found that she was the crowd favorite. When she repeated the feat, Bo and Daisy crowned her as the new champ.

"How's it feel...to be the underdog...for once?" Bo asked.

Uncle Jesse looked up from his paper, and Daisy giggled.

Luke stuck his tongue out at Bo. "It's nice to finally have some competition," Luke informed them, though his younger cousins doubted that he really enjoyed getting beat. Luke welcomed a challenge so long as he still came out the victor.

Bo also liked to use the porch swing in the evenings. He said he liked to look at the stars, and that before he'd been hurt, he went to the hay loft all the time. The first time Bo asked Sandy to join him, he reached for her hand. When she didn't pull away, he decided that it was okay. From then on, Bo couldn't enjoy himself without holding the tiny hand in his.

"You keep working Bo, and you'll make it up to that hayloft again," she promised.

"You come...with me?"

Sandy promised him that he'd get back up there, she didn't promise him when. She doubted that it would be before she left. "If I'm here, you betcha," she said, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

Bo was having about as much success keeping it off of his face.

There'd been something that he wanted to ask Sandy for a while. Something that upset her, and that bothered him. He'd been debating as to whether he should or not, finally deciding that he should while he had the chance, knowing how fate could cheat a person out of time and opportunities. As they looked to the heavens, hands intertwined, Bo summoned his nerve. "Who's Holly?" As soon as he verbalized the words, he regretted it. Whoever she was, it was clear that the memory was more painful than he'd realized.

Turning abruptly to look at him, she answered his question with one of her own. "How'd you know about Holly?"

"You said her name...the day you took...a nap...after Billy Ray. I was checking...on you," he admitted.

"You were?" she asked, softening her tone at his touching confession.

Bo nodded. "I'm sorry...you don't have...to tell me."

"Holly was my first patient," Sandy replied, looking away from Bo, staring straight ahead into the darkness.

"The one who...didn't get better?"

"Yeah," she whispered.

"What happened?"

Sandy really didn't want to talk about Holly, but if Bo asked her to stand barefoot on hot coals, she couldn't say no. Lowering her eyes, but keeping them focussed in front of her, she took a deep breath, having to prepare herself for what she was about to relay. It was a story that she had never shared with anyone.

"When I started working with Holly, she was in the hospital, like I told you. I was assigned to do routine physical therapy because she'd been diagnosed with permanent spinal cord injuries, ones that couldn't be fixed or reversed. My role was just to exercise her legs to maintain muscle tone. I liked her right away. She was funny, and she had a lot of spunk, and she used to make fun of my accent," Sandy grinned, recalling a part of the scenario that was pleasant. "Somehow, she managed to remain positive despite everything that she was facing. She wanted to be a painter so she was grateful that her legs were paralyzed and not her arms. She was pretty amazing."

Bo listened intently, smiling himself when he saw hers. As fast as he'd seen it appear, it disappeared, replaced with an expression of incredible sadness. "Sandy," Bo called, trying to interrupt her, sorry that he'd brought it up.

Now that Sandy was telling the story, she wasn't going to stop until she was finished. She heard Bo, but had to ignore him if she wanted to get make it to the end.

"While I was massaging her legs, I noticed certain twitches and movements that indicated some amount of function. I told her mother, and suggested that they get a second opinion. Her father wasn't too pleased, but the doctor they took her to agreed that while he didn't think she'd recover one hundred percent, he believed that with work, she might be able to walk with braces. Her mother wanted to try, her father didn't, said it would only disappoint her down the road. He wanted her to accept what her future was going to be like and leave it at that. They were well off, so the first thing he did was to buy her a motorized wheelchair, something I never advise someone to start out with unless they have very limited use of the hands and have no hope of getting any stronger." Glancing at Bo, she continued, "as you know, the only way to get stronger is through work, and you don't get a workout by pushing a button. It's just not a good thing to do, and I told him so, which he didn't appreciate."

Sandy became silent, looking back to the darkness as the events replayed in her mind.

"What happened?" Bo coaxed, angry that he'd started this, but wanting to know what it took to turn a Texas Twister into a dust devil.

"Well, I worked with her and I thought we were making progress, but the parents were just fighting so much that eventually the mother gave in. They took her back to the first doctor, who again said she'd never walk. They decided to accept that fate so I was let go. Giving up crushed Holly."

Sandy started to breathe heavily, and Bo's curiousity quickly faded to concern. "It's ok...You don't have to...say anymore...I'm sorry."

Ignoring him again, Sandy started talking once she had her breathing under control. "Having that nifty little motorized scooter, and full use of her arms and hands, she opened their patio door and drove right out of the house, and right on up a little hill, and right on down the side of that little hill..." Choking on her own words, she had to pause. "And right on into a fishing pond her father had installed for himself. They found her the next morning, drowned."

Bo could only imagine how devastating the experience must have been, but he didn't realize that the story wasn't finished. There was more, and it was even more horrifying.

"She was six years old!" Sandy cried, covering her face with her hands.

Bo reached over to comfort her, not sure how much she would be willing to accept. In the middle of her story, Sandy had leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Still in that same position, only now hiding her face, Bo started rubbing circles on her back.

Remaining still, she removed her hands, swiping at the wet evidence running down her face before folding them under her chin. She continued to stare into the void, refusing to look at Bo. She was certain that if she did, blame would be reflected in the midnight blue eyes that she could get lost in without trying.

"When they did the autopsy, they found that her injuries weren't completely permanent. Some of the spinal chord was still in tact."

"Then you were...right...Not your fault," Bo said, grabbing at any straws he could grasp.

"If I would have never said anything, she was prepared to make the best of her future. She'd be alive today, in a wheelchair, but alive. I'm the one that gave her that hope, so yeah, it is my fault, and her father all but told me so, too," she whispered, giving her confession to Bo as if he were a priest.

"Why that bastard...," Bo blurted out, hoping that his uncle wasn't in ear shot. "He had no right..."

"He was her father."

"Not a good...one," Bo observed.

"Doesn't matter," she sighed, her shoulders slumping down even further.

"Matters a lot," Bo argued. "Sandy...you are good...at what you do...and you care. I didn't believe...I'd ever get this...far. Now I believe...I'll get even better. All because of...you. Holly not...your fault."

Sandy finally turned to look at Bo with her big, green emerald eyes, afraid of what she would find. The accusations she expected to see weren't there, only a compassion that corroborated the Duke's characterization that Bo had a big heart.

For the first time, Bo saw self-doubt and guilt in his little tornado. A person that had seemed so competent and confident suffered from insecurities just like him. She'd been there supporting, teaching, pushing, and encouraging him for a long time. She had given him back more than just the ability to move or talk, she'd given him back his life. He owed her so much, and he wanted to repay some of the debt, but most of all, he just wanted to make her feel better. Opening his arms, he called out to her, "come here." When she did, he held her. It felt good to be on the giving end for a change, and nothing had ever felt more right. He rubbed more circles on her back, stroking and kissing her hair, and murmering assurances that she wasn't to blame. They stayed like that for a long time while Sandy let out all the tears she'd held inside for so long.

"Don't forget...you're the Texas...twister!" he reminded her when she began to calm down.

Having cried all over Bo, she responded. "Right now, I feel more like a water spout," and that earned a good, hearty laugh from both of them. "Thanks Bo," she said, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. This time she didn't scold herself. Her mind justified the action by rationalizing that she was in perfect control of her actions and knew exactly what she was doing when she kissed Bo's cheek. For a few minutes, they'd had a role reversal, and he had become the therapist, specializing in the field of Sandy Maverick.

"Anytime," he told her, not wanting to let her up as she announced it was late and she had to go. "You could stay," he offered.

"No Bo, I can't." Spending the evenings with the family was one thing, spending the nights really would have been going too far.

After Sandy left, Luke followed his cousin into the room they shared. Bo could do most of the things needed to dress and undress himself, but he hadn't quite yet mastered the buttons. He was getting close, and if given enough time, he'd work them loose or accidentally yank them off. Either way, it achieved the purpose, except the latter was much more work for Daisy. After watching his best friend wrestling with the tiny discs, he decided that it was in everyone's best interest if he helped him.

"Need some help?" Luke asked, waiting for Bo's reply. He had to ask because there were times that no matter how tired or frustrated Bo was, he was too stubborn to ask for or accept help. Luke's assistance wasn't always welcomed anymore. Thankfully, this wasn't going to be one of those nights, as the blonde looked up and nodded.

Giving his cousin a small smile, he bent over him and began to slip the fasteners through the appropriate holes. He had come so far, and Luke wondered how it was going to feel when Bo really didn't need him anymore.

Stealing a glance at his cousin, he could see that he was deep in thought. He'd heard a little bit of what had been said on the swing that night, and he'd been watching Bo very closely over the last few weeks. He was fairly certain that his baby cousin was falling in love with his therapist.

Luke had rid him of his clothes and helped him into his sleeping attire, turning his back to do the same for himself. When he did an about-face, he found Bo looking at himself in the mirror, paying close attention to his right side, the same side he always stared at. Bo's hair was long enough that it now covered most of the scar, however, it really did look funny because it was extremely long on the opposite side. Luke Duke decided that it might be time to do something about it, especially since it bothered his cousin so.

"Franken...stein," Bo said, referring to himself when he noticed that Luke was watching him.

"Bo, you don't look like Frankenstein," Luke told him. "More like the creature from the Black Lagoon."

"Ha ha, cute."

Luke laughed, and patted him on the back. It felt so good to be able to talk, laugh, and joke with Bo again, things that seemed virtually impossible just a few months ago. Bo might have been falling in love with the Texas twister, but Luke loved her just as much, for entirely different reasons. He thought of her as God raising Lazarus from the dead.

Messing up the blonde curls even more than they already were, Luke helped him into bed. Bo was tired, and whenever that happened, he became unsteady on his feet. The last thing they needed was for him to fall and hurt himself.

Bo didn't need for Luke to hold him every night like he had in the beginning, but he still had bad nights where he'd just get down, have a bad dream, or need help getting up. Luke wanted to be there, and hated to admit that he liked the closeness as much as Bo seemed to. Using that as an excuse, they'd left their beds together, able to be close without always touching; there just in case. Luke had a feeling that this was going to be one of those nights.

After an hour, Luke gave up. Bo was awake, and he was keeping him awake, too. "Want to talk about it, cuz?" he asked, directing the question to Bo's backside.

"Talk about what?" Bo asked back.

"Whatever it is that's keeping you awake?"

"Don't know...just can't sleep," Bo lied.

"Oh, I don't believe that," Luke told him. "I think you know very well what's bothering you, and I think it has something to do with a green-eyed girl from Texas."

"So what...if it does?"

"You love her, don't you Bo?" Luke asked, getting right down to the nitty gritty.

"Yeah," Bo whispered.

"Have you told her?"

"Yeah right,...why?"

"To see how she feels," Luke replied, thinking that he was stating the obvious.

"I'm her patient. She...cares about me...like that."

"Bo, I think she cares about you a whole lot more than as a patient. I think she loves you, too, buddy."

Bo snorted in response. "Stupid...and...ugly. Who could love...that?" Luke could hear from the crack in his voice that Bo was trying to hold back the tears.

Sliding close, Luke put his arm around him. "You're not stupid or ugly, and I love you."

"Cause we're cousins,...Luke."

"Even if we weren't cousins, I'd still love you. Bo, you're my best friend. You always have been and you always will be. I've loved you since you were a baby, but I'll tell you something, I've never loved you more or been more proud than these last few months. Buddy, you have fought the good fight, and you've won. Your spirit and determination leave me in awe. You always thought I was the strong one, but you're my hero, Bo."

"Ah Luke."

"Don't ah Luke me. It's true. Every word of it."

"I love you, Lukas...I know that you were the...one that kept me going...If it hadn't been for you...I wouldn't be here..." Bo turned onto his back, Luke's arm still draped across him. "Thank you," he told him, wrapping his arms around his cousin's neck.

"No Bo, thank you for coming back. Now go to sleep. Tomorrow, I've got a surprise for you, guaranteed to dazzle one green eyed cyclone."

"What?" Bo asked, loving surprises, but never being able to let them be a surprise.

The next day, Bo drove Luke crazy, wanting to know when he'd get it and what his surprise was. Seeing that her patient was anxious, and unable to keep his attention, Sandy cut their session short. There was more than one type of therapy, and anything that excited a client that much couldn't be bad. Besides, she trusted Luke, knowing that he would never let any harm come to his cousin.

Trading the General for Dixie, Luke helped Bo get in.

"Where we going?" Bo asked, surprised that his surprise was a trip.

"You'll see when we get there," Luke rebuffed him. "Be quiet and enjoy the drive," he ordered, turning up the radio.

Before the shooting, seeing the Duke boys driving together was as natural as the setting sun. Seeing them apart was what was unnatural, but this was their first time out together, alone, since then. Besides his outings to the doctors, Bo hadn't been off the farm since he'd gotten out of the hospital. It felt good to both of them, but there was no way that Bo couldn't notice that his cousin had turned into a Sunday driver. He knew that he was only being cautious for his own good, but Bo wondered if he'd ever again treat him like he wasn't made of glass. In Bo's mind, he wouldn't be truly recovered until that day came. He thought about saying something, but held his tongue. Whatever was going on, Luke was doing something for him that he didn't have to. Uncle Jesse had raised them not to be ingrates. There'd be time to discuss the 'little old lady' driving later. Besides, if he made Luke mad, he might not get his surprise, and that would kill him faster than a slow drive.

Eventually, Bo figured out that they were going to Capitol City, but he couldn't fathom why. When Luke slid Dixie into a spot and shut her off, Bo gave him a strange look.

"Beauty salon?" he asked.

"They're stylists, Bo. A barber would just give you a haircut, they'll be able to give you a whole new 'do,'" Luke said, flipping his own curls. "Ya know, something that will cover the scar, even out your hair on both sides, and look like you decided to wear your hair that way. No one will be the wiser, and I thought you'd be more comfortable in Capitol City, where you wouldn't know anyone."

"Thanks Luke," Bo said, suddenly thinking that it sounded like a good idea.

When Bo walked out a half hour later, he had normal looking hair. It was cut in the style he always wore, just maybe a tad bit shorter, but it was all one length. As Luke buckled him in, Bo laid his hand on his cousin's back.

"Thanks Luke...I feel human...again."

"Well, I don't think that we ever really determined that you were human to begin with," Luke snickered. When Bo didn't reply, he got worried. "You ok?"

"I really appreci...ate this," Bo said very seriously.

Luke grabbed his cousin as best he could in spite of the seat belt. "You're very welcome."

"I love you, Luke."

"I love you, too, Bo."

The next morning when Sandy showed up, she noticed Bo's hair immediately.

"Oh my!" she said, looking closely at him, and running her hand through the hair on his left side, not even bothering with the useless mental scolding. "It looks great!" she told him. "Ladies of Hazzard, you better watch out!" she proclaimed, filling the cup she'd pulled down with coffee.

"What about ladies...from Texas?" Bo asked, not caring about the local ones anymore.

"Well, if you're planning on visiting Texas, I'll tell them to watch out, too," she said, winking at him.

"Only need to...warn one," Bo informed her.

"Oh yeah, and who might that be? Anyone I know?"

"You," he stated in a completely serious tone of voice.

Sandy thought they'd only been playing, but she should have seen that coming. She hadn't, and his complete honesty melted her heart, leaving her unguarded and vulnerable. Sometimes he said the nicest things, and she knew that they came straight from his heart. This was no exception, and it wasn't so much what was said as how it was said that completely paralyzed her. It was an almost childlike quality, and if she had really thought about it, she would have realized it was one of the things she loved most about him. In an unrehearsed and unplanned moment of her own honesty, she replied, "Oh shoot darlin, you already had me."

"Really?" he asked, his eyes lighting up.

"Really," she told him, messing up his hair as she sat down next to him.

"Good!...Just remember...that."

"Oh, I'd be hard pressed to forget it."


	12. Chapter 12

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 12

'I QUIT'

"I'm sorry Bo. I just don't know what else to do," Uncle Jesse said with sad eyes.

"It's ok...Uncle Jesse...I understand...I've cost you...a fortune...already. I swear I'll pay...you back,...someday."

"Oh Bo! I ain't worried about that. I'm just sorry I let you down, son. I wish I could provide better for my family," he said.

"You've always...provided just fine...for us...Right?" Bo asked his cousins.

"Yes, Uncle Jesse," they both said, almost as devastated by the news as their youngest cousin was, if not quite as affected by it.

When Sandy walked in, she could feel the tension immediately. It was so thick, you literally could cut it with a knife. She looked at the table, and saw four very long faces, something she hadn't seen even when she first arrived. This was the most loving and upbeat family she'd ever met. Something was terribly wrong.

"Morning," she greeted them. "What's the matter?"

"I need to talk to you," Uncle Jesse said.

"Okay," she replied, going for her morning cup of coffee then taking a seat. Not only did Uncle Jesse look like he was going to cry, but Daisy already was, and Bo and Luke weren't far behind. She was starting to feel very scared.

"We're not going to be able to use your services, anymore," Uncle Jesse informed her.

"Why? Have I done something wrong?" she asked, afraid that her mouth or methods had gotten her in trouble again.

"Oh my Lord, heavens no. We just love you so much, and can't even begin to thank you for everything," Jesse told her.

"Then, I'm afraid I don't understand."

"The agency just called here, and said that they wouldn't be able to allow you to continue with us."

"What? They had no right to do that. I don't work for them, and they don't select my clients. I'm registered with every major agency in the country. They present cases to me, but I select the clients. They just act as the middleman. I'm gonna give them a call right now, and straighten this out."

"You don't understand," he told her before she could reach the phone. "Please," he said, pointing back to her chair. "They do have some say so because, well, I've gotten behind on the bill, and I can't pay them what I owe them right now," he confessed, lowering his eyes. "But I will pay them back, every penny that I owe them and you've been worth every cent, don't ever think that this had anything to do with you. It's just I can't do it right now, with the hospital bills and all the doctors, so they said that they can't allow you to add any more to the total I owe them."

Sandy looked from one Duke to another. They were all doing a good job of pretending to be interested in the table cloth. She couldn't believe that this could be about money. "I can fix this right now," she said again, getting back up and reaching for the phone.

After asking to speak to someone specifically, she discussed the situation with them. "I quit," she said. "I don't actually work for your agency, I think you've forgetten that. So as of right now, I resign and all of our ties are severed." Nodding her head, she replied to something, "I'm fully aware of that, and I assure you, I understand you. Now you understand me." Turning away from the family, she spoke in a very low voice that no one could hear. "Good day," she said, and hung up the phone. "Okay, problem solved. Shall we get back to work?" she asked, looking at Bo, who looked from her to his uncle.

"No, you don't understand," Uncle Jesse said again. "I can't pay you, either, through the agency or directly."

"That's ok," she replied. "I wasn't planning on sending you a bill. If I did that, I would be in trouble."

"Huh?"

"Because I took your case through an agency, I couldn't resign but continue to work here and get paid. If I did that, they'd sue me, saying that I took their portion of the profit. However, if I'm not charging you anything, I'm not profiting and they aren't losing anything. In Texas, even a hundred percent of nothing is still nothing."

"I can't let you work for free," Uncle Jesse stated.

"If I don't mind, you shouldn't let it bother you."

"It ain't right!" he exclaimed.

"Sure it is. Lawyers do it all the time, they call it pro bono work. Judges actually order them to do it. Doctor's waive their fees, so do hospitals. I think every professional should be required do it. It's really no big deal."

"It is to me," he objected. "How do we expect you to be able to live, working for free?"

"Uncle Jesse, I don't do this for the money."

"No, I don't doubt that sweetheart, but you still got to eat."

"I eat quite well," she said patting her stomach. "Come to think of it, I eat here a lot, and I don't pay you for your food."

"Well that's different," the Duke patriarch proclaimed.

"No, it's not. Your agreement with the agency didn't require you to furnish meals, and I'm sure you work very hard, all of you, to put food on this table."

"We ask you to eat with us as part of the family."

"And now, I offer my services to you with the same intent," she said.

The kids stopped scrutinizing the checkered cloth on the table, looking back and forth as if they were watching a tennis ball bounce between courts. Uncle Jesse's word was law around there. He never lost a discussion, because no one really ever debated with him. He always played offense, but Sandy Maverick had forced him to play defense, and it was a sight they had only witnessed a few times when their aunt had still been alive. They kept looking at each other, trying to keep mental score. Her last statement had been a slam dunk.

"Uncle Jesse, I've been extremely fortunate. My family is..."

"Rich," Bo finished for her.

"I don't like that word, but they're secure. I work and except for my car, I spend very little, which means that I am not relying on a paycheck right now."

"It still don't feel right," he replied. "Whether you need it or not ain't the point. If you work, you should get paid."

"Homemakers would probably agree with that, too," she said, "but, that's a whole nother topic." Looking at Bo, she winked, then went to stand next to him. Scrunching up his face so that he looked like an adorable kid, she finalized her argument. "Uncle Jesse, look at this face. It's just adorable. I know that you're not comfortable with this, but Bo's what's important here. We've come too far to stop now, and besides that, it won't be too long before Bo doesn't need me anymore. Please, let me finish what we started."

"For Bo?" he sighed, knowing he'd lost. Sandy got Luke and Daisy to nod along with them. "I can't very well say no if it's for one of my young-ins."

Bo wrapped his arms around her waist, delighted that she'd got his uncle to agree, but upset that she had said he wouldn't need her anymore. Even if he didn't need her as a therapist, he needed her.

"Now, can we get started? The day's a wasting people."

"Yes ma'am," all three Duke kids said, saluting her.

Uncle Jesse suggested later that maybe she could stay with them. He thought that it was really unfair that she wasn't getting paid while still spending money on a room. She thanked him, but said she had all her stuff laid out so that she knew where it was, and it would take her a month to pack it. The real truth was that she just couldn't emotionally afford to move in full-time, and this time the little voice in the back of her head applauded her.

* * *

That night as she laid in bed, she thought about how hard that must have been for a proud man like Jesse Duke to admit to her that he couldn't pay the bill. The fact was, her family was rich, and she'd never had to worry about money in her life. Her fees weren't cheap, so most of her clients were fairly well off, though she did take on cases at no charge from time to time. Despite the fact that she knew how rich the Duke family really was in the area that counted most, she hated the idea of them not being able to afford something so necessary as health care and treatment. She hadn't been aware that there'd been a problem with the agency, but she had overheard a few phone conversations that Jesse had with the hospital. Sandy decided to see if there wasn't something she could do about it.

She was acquainted with the hospital administrator at Atlanta's Grady Memorial, and his reputation. He'd went to school with her oldest brother, Tommy, but he wasn't from Texas. Her brother didn't particularly like him, but he always said he'd make a good businessman; he had no heart. She was sure he was the one that was making the stink over the Dukes' debt and the absurd payments the family was making each month. She not only knew him, he was the reason she was in Georgia in the first place. She'd come there for a client after he had contacted her. The patient's father, a self-made millionaire, was a large donator to the hospital. The tycoon was extremely grateful to Sandy for what she had done, and had offered her many things to show his appreciation, which she had refused.

Leaving right after lunch a couple of days later, Sandy drove into Atlanta. Her first stop was Grady Memorial. She informed the hospital bureaucrat that she was prepared to ask his contributor not to give the money to the hospital that year, but to donate it to a family that really needed it instead. A family affected by a tragedy the same way his had been, and one that she had been working with. A family who was going to be denied the same opportunities his loved one had been given simply because they weren't wealthy. Sandy was positive that if she made the request as a personal favor to her, it would be granted. She also knew that if the hospital lost the donation, they'd be losing more that just the cost of the Duke's bill, and he knew it, too. He suddenly had a change of heart, saying that Bo's case qualified for extreme circumstance aide, and would be immediately taken care of. She asked for the letter before she left, not trusting him to follow through on his own.

Next, she went to the agency, and told them that if they didn't write off their own bill, she'd never work with them again. They had offices located throughout the country so this wasn't confined to just Georgia. She also threatened to turn in Bertha to the licensing division for abusing a patient if they didn't comply. A scandal like that would ensure that their phones wouldn't be too busy. By the time she was on her way back to Hazzard, she had two letters addressed to Jesse Duke.

The next morning, Sandy slipped both of them into the Duke mailbox, hoping that no one saw her. The last thing she wanted was to get arrested for tampering with the US Mail.

Uncle Jesse sat scratching his head, as he read both letters, not believing that all of Bo's bills had been taken care of in the same day by coincidence. As they sat down for lunch, he pointed at Sandy. "I know you had something to do with this," he accused, and the rest of the family wanted to know what he was talking about. Jesse handed the letters of forgiveness to Luke, who passed them to Daisy, then to Bo. They were all shocked.

"Now how could you think that little ole me could have anything to do with such a thing?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

"Because I know you," he replied.

* * *

Having extended her stay, it was time to go forward so that it could reach its logical conclusion. Therapy comes in stages, just like grieving or cancer, and Bo was entering the final phases of his. The difference was that when a person reached the end of their rehabilitation, it was a beginning rather than an ending. Getting to that point was the entire goal, and should have been a cause for celebration, but as it became more a reality than a dream there was a therapist in Hazzard county that wasn't exactly overjoyed.

Bo was almost ready to graduate to crutches, and Sandy had no doubt that he'd master those as easily as he had the braces. His hands had benefited tremendously from manipulating the guitar, and Luke deserved as much credit there as she did. The only real physical obstacle left to overcome was getting Bo to be able to speak without the starts and stops, and only time would tell if that could be completely conquered. In some patients, it couldn't, and Sandy hoped that Bo wouldn't be one of them, but there didn't seem to be anything else she could do. When Bo spoke without thinking about it, he did fine. She kept working with him, but she knew she couldn't stay forever using that excuse. He was able to communicate, and that had been their goal.

Sandy's customized plans included something that no others did. It had nothing to do with physical or speech therapy, but was as much a part of a person's recovery as taking their first step or saying their first word. Most of her colleagues felt that it overstepped their bounds, but Sandy never backed down when she believed in something. She had no reason to now, she did it for everyone. The laughing voice in the back of her head conceded that fact, but teased her for not admitting that it was simply another way to prolong her own departure.

Telling the voice to 'get lost,' Sandy set about revising their schedule. For many long weeks, she and Bo had spent four hours a day, six days a week alternating from speech to feet to speech to hands, although not necessarily always in that order. They didn't need four hours to practice anymore, that's what homework was for, and Bo had a great tutor in Luke. It was time to change what they did with their time, and when Sandy announced that the new agenda included having some 'fun,' Bo didn't have to be coaxed into going along.

This was the only thing that she didn't openly share with a patient. It always felt dishonest, finding a way to explain it to their loved ones without telling them. The Dukes weren't any different, and she asked to speak to Uncle Jesse and Luke while Daisy kept Bo busy. She was confident that the men would fill her in later. She explained that there was a very real therapeutic purpose behind 'having fun' worked into their schedule, and padding their fees wasn't it, even though she wasn't getting paid. During a person's rehab, they were normally isolated from the rest of the world, either by their choice or because others were uncomfortable around them. No one was truly recovered until they were once again integrated back into the world, and that's what this phase was designed to do. They'd start slowly and progress forward, depending on how Bo reacted. If the patient was told that they were having fun, they often didn't think about the fact that they were really reconnecting with society, which could be pretty scary . Sandy knew that Bo's universe centered around his family, but she doubted that he never left the house before he'd been shot. Since then, the only time he ever left the sanctity of the farm was for medical reasons and the time Luke took him to Capitol City. It was time for Bo Duke to learn the final lesson she had to teach, how to live again.

The first few days, they just went for a drive. She'd asked him if he wanted a ride in her car, since he'd told her that it liked it, and when she offered to put the t-tops down, she didn't have to ask twice. She also didn't have to ask if enjoyed the ride. When she looked over and saw the wind racing through his hair, his eyes closed, and a wide smile on his face, she had her answer.

The next place she took him was to the Hazzard Pond. Sometime throughout her stay, she remembered either Bo or Luke mentioning how much they liked to fish. Inviting Luke to come along, she informed them that casting a rod in and out of the water was a form of therapy all its own. They both looked at her, saying 'yeah, right,' and she started laughing, but in fact, it was. She had no idea just how true her words would become, though it wasn't fishing that would provide the invaluable treatment.

Having brought both Luke's and Bo's guitars along, they ended up playing together the way they had a million times before Bo got hurt. She had been using the instrument in Bo's recovery since the first day she saw it sitting against the wall, and Luke used it at night, too. He learned to sit behind Bo, the same way she did, and they'd play for hours. Bo's hands improved significantly, and both boys received a sense of fullfillment and serenity.

_"Love ya, Lukas...but Sandy...feels better," Bo had commented one night._

_"If she didn't, I'd be real worried, cuz," Luke retorted._

Now that all three of them were together, Sandy could work with Bo, and Bo and Luke could play together. Of course as his body was recovering, so was his libido, and it was responding more to the sensations he was feeling. He knew he should, but he didn't care. He wanted to enjoy the experience, and deal with the consequences later.

When she asked what they wanted to play, they both said the same song. She knew it, so they were in luck, and unlike their instrumental versions, Luke was providing the vocals. Not even thinking about it, when they got to the chorus, Bo started singing along, and Sandy was shocked at how good he really was. She was even more shocked as she realized that he was singing as if nothing had ever happened to him. Like Mel Tillis, there was no stutter whatsoever. Luke picked up on it right away, too, looking at her, who encouraged him to keep going. By the time they got to the chorus again, she started singing along, and the three of them blended nicely. When they got done, she leaned forward.

"Do you know what just happened here, Bo?" she asked him.

"We...made...beau...ti...ful...music...together?" he joked.

"You're being a funny man again, huh? Well, yeah that did happen, but you sang almost that entire song and never missed a beat or a syllable."

Distracted by the way she felt against him, he hadn't noticed. His eyes got very big as he turned to look at her. Looking at Luke, he saw his cousin nodding in agreement.

"Let's try something else, and if you weren't thinking about it then, don't think about it now," Sandy instructed him.

After a couple more songs, it was very clear that Bo could sing without stumbling.

"That's the key, that is really the key. Luke, you keep practicing this with him," she said, and Luke said he would. "You, Mr. Bo, keep singing and your speech will improve, and when you're speaking, try putting your words to some type of music in your head, and see if you don't notice a big difference."

"Let's...try," he said.

"Okay, tell me anything," she invited.

"The General Lee is a...1969 Dodge Charger," he said, obviously surprising himself. He had strung several words together, pausing only once.

She was so happy for him, she wrapped her arms around him and he did the same to her. This time, he kissed the top of her head.

* * *

When Bo had been shot and hovered near death, every ounce of energy, thought, and prayer had been focussed on his survival and recovery. Now that their prayers had been answered, there was an area that lingered unresolved. The ones who did it had never been captured and made to pay for their crime.

Luke dreamed of killing both of them, slowly, with his bare hands, possibly holding them captive for a few weeks so that he could torture them the way Bo had been tortured. He'd dreamed of it, but his place had been at Bo's side during his recovery. Now that Bo was almost well, he knew he wasn't going to find them without looking. He wanted to do it for Bo, but he also wanted to do it for himself. He still carried around the guilt, knowing that if he hadn't chased them, none of this would have happened. He wondered if their deaths by his hands would ease that feeling.

Bo knew his cousin well enough to know what was going through his mind. In no way did he blame Luke, and he tried to tell him that, knowing that it would take a long time, if ever, for Luke to really believe it. Bo worried that his cousin would try to find them, and if he did, either get himself hurt or killed, or wind up in jail. He needed Luke, and none of those were scenarios he could live with. He made Luke promise him that he wouldn't go after them, but it hadn't been easy.

The entire community had been shocked when they'd heard what had happened to Bo. The Duke boys weren't the only ones who thought they were invincible. The town rallied behind them, helping where they could, praying for all of them, and wanting to see justice done. Even Rosco and Boss Hogg were determined that the shooters be caught and punished. Rosco and Enos worked with other law enforcement agencies for a while, and everyone else had been on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing had ever turned up. After they fired those pot shots, the shooters had gotten out of Hazzard and disappeared into thin air.

The people of Hazzard weren't the only ones thinking about the shooters, they were thinking a lot about them, too, primarily the Duke boys. Bo's case had gotten a lot of publicity because of the severity of his injuries. They knew they were wanted for attempted murder, but they were also wanted for the robbery at the Boar's Nest. They hadn't worn masks or covered their faces, so everyone knew what they looked like who had been at the scene of the original crime. However, the only two that could identify them as Bo's shooters were Bo and Luke. Deciding that the penalty for armed robbery was a lot less severe than attempted murder, they reasoned that murder was the only answer. Plotting the demise of the Duke cousins, they headed back to the county where it had all began. They should have known better than to press their luck, but they weren't the brightest bulbs in the socket. If they had been, they would have stayed as far away from Hazzard as their legs could carry them.


	13. Chapter 12

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 13

HOLD THE ONIONS

The rodeo was in town, and Daisy couldn't have been more excited. One of her friends from school had joined up after they graduated, and this was the first time she'd been back since she left. Hazzard was rolling out the red carpet, welcoming home one of their own. Daisy couldn't wait to see her again, and joked that it would have been real nice if they could have scheduled it a couple of weeks later so that it would have coincided with the Annual Hazzard Homecoming. Uncle Jesse told her that coming home had nothing to do with a date on a calendar, and Daisy agreed that he was right. She asked her family if they wanted to go to see their friend perform, and to everyone's surprise, even Bo agreed .

It would be his first real public outing. His family thought that he might not want to be seen wearing the braces, but ever since Luke had taken him to get a haircut, Bo didn't seem half as worried or anxious about his appearance. The scar on his head was no longer visible, and it seemed that some of the scars no one could see were fading a little, too. He didn't know it, but Sandy had already ordered his crutches, and this excursion was about to complete his final phase of therapy. In a way, it was like his final exam, and if he passed, they'd both be graduating.

Heralding from the Lone Star state, they assumed that Sandy probably loved the rodeo. She agreed to go, but surprised them all when she said that she never had been a real big fan.

"How can you be from Texas and not like the rodeo?" Luke asked her. "Isn't that like a religion down there?"

Sandy shrugged. "It's big, I just don't like it. I think it's cruel what they do to the animals."

"Don't they do the same things in day to day ranching?" Uncle Jesse asked, scratching his head.

"Yeah, they do, but there's a big difference between sport and necessity. Lassoing a calf to stop him from running off is one thing. Seeing how fast you can hog tie the little critter for no good reason is overkill."

The Dukes looked at each other and shrugged. A Texas Rancher who was also an animal rights' activist was rather a strange combination, but then twisters never were predictable.

* * *

The Dukes and Sandy headed out early the morning of the big event. Daisy had already talked to her friend several times in the past two days, but had not yet seen her. She knew she'd be busy later in the day and wanted to spend a few minutes with her. The girl was going to stay a couple extra days in her hometown, catching up with Daisy and her folks, but the female Duke was still anxious.

Daisy took Uncle Jesse and Luke in Dixie and Bo rode with Sandy in the Camaro. Sandy loved how happy Bo always looked whenever he was riding with her. His hair blowing in the wind and the smile on his face was gratifying when she thought about the condition he'd been in when they'd first met. It was also sexy as hell, but she couldn't tell him that.

Bo looked so happy riding with Sandy because it made him happy. He loved the sports car and it's driver, and he loved the fact that Sandy was the only one that didn't drive twenty in a fifty-five mile an hour zone just because he was in the car. Riding shotgun in Sandy's car made Bo feel like he was flying, the way he used to feel in the General. He wondered how long it would be before he'd be able to get in and out of the car that he and Luke both loved, and when he could, if Luke would ever let him jump anything again. It wasn't possible to jump a pot hole if you couldn't drive any faster than you could walk.

Though they were early, they were surprised to see that there were already quite a few people there. Wandering around the grounds, Daisy asked where she could find her friend. There was a flurry of activity going on with cowboys, clowns, and hands tending to morning duties and trying to make sure that everything would be ready. Sandy Maverick looked like she was part of the show. Dressed in identical attire of boots, denim, and belt buckle, she was dressed the same way she had been the first day they had met her. Throughout the weeks, she had worn shorts and other tops, but the tucked in shirt with the tight jeans was her favorite. Bo, Luke, and Daisy were wearing similar outfits, but the object that set Sandy apart from them was the cowboy hat. Except when she was in her car, they'd only gotten brief glimpses. With her long auburn hair, the Stetson looked like a crown, and Bo had never known that a hat could be so sexy. People often mistakenly believed that southerners all wore hats, they didn't, and those who did, like Uncle Jesse, rarely wore a cowboy hat. That was something more unique to areas considered to be the 'Old West,' especially Texas and Oklahoma, but the entire south had a tendency to be lumped together. Anyone who knew better knew that there were big differences between being southern and being Texan, the hat was only one of the more visible signs.

Daisy finally found her friend, Betty Jean. When they were finished hugging, she pointed out the rest of her family. Betty Jean greeted each one of them, but paused when she saw Bo, obviously surprised to see him leaning forward on his arm braces. Her reaction was the last thing Bo needed right then. Sandy didn't want it to destroy the confidence he had built up. Careful not to knock him off his balance, she slid her left arm around his waist and moved very close. The movement didn't go unnoticed by the spectators. Daisy and Luke grinned at each other, Betty Jean's eyes darted to Sandy, traveling up and down her the same way they had done to Bo. Sandy was perfectly healthy and it unnerved her.

"Betty Jean, this is Sandy Maverick, she's Bo's..."

"Friend," Sandy finished for Daisy, not believing that this girl needed to know anymore She hoped it would help Bo's self-esteem, and wanted to show Betty Jean that brace or no brace, Bo was still a man, and a very attractive one at that. "Very good friend," she added, as she stuck out her right hand.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Bo watching her, grinning from ear to ear. When she stepped back after the handshake, he kissed her temple.

"Are you from the Texas Mavericks?" Betty Jean asked, surprising all of them. The Dukes surmised that her family's name must have been a little more important than she had let on. Figuring out she was from Texas had been the easy part. Each area of the south had its own unique accent, and while people from other parts of the country couldn't differentiate between them, people from the south could hear them as plain as if English wasn't even being spoken. The Texas accent was the most widely recognized.

"Yes, I am," she answered, and Betty Jean's eyebrows raised in wonderment.

Everyone except Sandy chatted with Betty Jean about her life as a rodeo star, and what it was like being away from Hazzard. Sandy didn't like her, so she hadn't been paying much attention. A one-sided conversation was taking place somewhere around her, and she found that much more interesting than listening to Betty Jean talk about herself. She softly slipped her arm away from Bo, and inched away, trying to find the person doing the talking.

A few stalls down, she located the frustrated voice. A young girl, probably the daughter of one of the rodeo people, was trying to give a bottle to a small calf, and having absolutely no luck. "C'mon you stubborn cuss. You gotta drink this," she scolded the obstinate animal as it turned its head from side to side avoiding the nipple being offered.

Sandy leaned against the stall entrance. "Well, I wouldn't cooperate with you, either, if you talked to me like that," she told the girl.

"Huh?" she said, looking up. "Oh yeah right. It's just a dumb calf, so dumb that it's gonna starve to death."

"It loose its mama?" Sandy asked.

"Yeah, a week ago, and we still can't get it to eat! Dumb-dumb," she said.

"Ya know, animals aren't as dumb as we think they are. They may not have the same kind of smarts as we do, but they've got real good instincts, and they know when someone likes them or not. Do you like to be around people that you know don't like you?" Sandy asked the exasperated girl.

"No."

"Well they don't like to be around people that don't like them, either. She can sense that you don't like her, and as far as she knows, you might be trying to poison her."

"Yeah right," the girl snorted.

"How do you know what she's thinking? She told you lately?"

"Who are you?"

"My name's Sandy," she replied, walking into the stall, and sitting down next to the girl and the calf. Petting the baby, she took it away from the girl and put it in her own lap. "What's yours?"

"Jill."

"How long you been working with the animals?" Sandy inquired, continuing to rub the calf's back, who was no longer squealing in protest.

"Not too long."

"You got a lot to learn," Sandy told her, reaching for the bottle. "First of all, this little baby is scared of you, especially when she can sense that you don't like her. You've got to let them get used to you, and try and convince them that you are their friend not their foe. Second of all, she don't have a clue as to what you are trying to do to her. All she knows is that you're shoving something in her face, and she don't know if it's good for her or not. Now, how would you feel if someone was doing that to you?"

"I wouldn't like it."

"Well, this little baby don't either." Reaching for the bottle, she continued to pet the calf, who had now settled down and was resting peacefully against Sandy Maverick. "You've got to show her what it is," Sandy told her as she demonstrated by rubbing the bottle over the cow's mouth, who was no longer turning away from the same bottle. After a few drops of the milk reached its lips, the calf figured out that it was food and accepted it, greedily gulping. "See," she said, to a very surprised teenage girl.

"I don't believe it."

"Here, now you try it," Sandy coaxed, taking the bottle out of the calf's mouth, which was now protesting its absence. She moved the baby to the girls' lap, and handed her the bottle. This time, she had no trouble getting the calf to take it.

"She's drinking from me!"

"She will from now on, too, cause now she knows what it is, but the first time, you gotta lead them to water, and show em how to drink."

"How'd you learn how to do that?"

"I grew up on a ranch with more animals than people. They're a lot smarter than we give them credit for, and even if they're not as smart as us, that's never a reason to be mean or cruel to them. Just remember, if you wouldn't like someone doing something to you, chances are they don't like someone doing it to them."

Sandy got up and brushed the hay off the back of her butt. She hadn't realized that she and the girl weren't alone anymore. The Duke men had come in search of her, giving Daisy and her friend a few minutes alone. How long they'd been standing there, she didn't know. "Howdy!" she said. "Waiting on me?"

Before they could answer, Daisy joined the party. "Hey guys! Guess what? Betty Jean invited us to go riding tomorrow, and I told her I'd pack a picnic. We can make a day of it, doesn't that sound great?"

Sandy held her breath, wondering what Bo's answer would be. He couldn't ride, and she didn't know if he would still be comfortable around Betty Jean's watchful eyes. To her surprise, he didn't refuse, but he asked if she was invited, too.

"Well, of course, sugar," Daisy replied. "That is, as long as she wants to."

Bo turned on his puppy dog eyes that couldn't be denied. "Sure," she accepted, glad that Bo didn't seem bothered enough by Betty Jean's earlier scrutiny to stay home, and flattered that his answer was dependent on hers. "Gotta keep my eye on Bo here, especially around that little filly," she said jokingly.

"Gotta keep my eyes...on you, too," Bo grinned.

"That shouldn't be hard," Luke commented while rolling his.

* * *

They were way too early to go up into the stands. There were still a couple of hours before even the pre-show entertainment started. Bo announced that he was hungry and wanted a hot dog.

"C'mon, Beauregard, I'll buy you one," Sandy said, not even thinking about calling him by the name he hated until he stopped dead in his tracks. "Oh, sorry," she apologized, hoping that she hadn't upset him. The fact was, she liked the name, a lot.

Bo looked down at her, but couldn't be mad if he wanted. He believed that it had been spontaneous, not meant in a bad way, and somehow when she said it, it sounded like a term of endearment. "You'll have to buy me...two hot dogs to make up...for it."

"You got it," she agreed, glad that he wasn't offended.

Luke and Daisy got in line at the concession stand while Sandy and Uncle Jesse helped Bo get situated at a table that wasn't the easiest piece of furniture to maneuver. As they were coming back with their order, Sandy walked up to the window.

"What do you want on em?" she yelled over to Bo.

"You," he yelled back. Rolling her eyes, she looked at him to find him laughing and wiggling his eyebrows. "Everything."

"Ketchup, mustard, onions, and relish?"

"Yeah!" he shouted, then changed his mind. "No wait...hold the onions."

Now it was Sandy's turn to give him a playful look, which he replied to by giving her an innocent one.

Walking back to the table with three dogs and two drinks, she heard someone calling her name. Of course, she knew she wasn't the only Sandy in the world, but she started looking around and so did the rest of the Duke family. She didn't see anything, so she finished walking over to Bo, setting the dogs down in front of him. She was just about to swing her second leg over the bench and sit down, when she heard an unmistakable, "Sandy Maverick!" That left little doubt that someone was calling her. She looked around again, and this time she saw a man jogging toward her, waving his cowboy hat.

"Tracey!" she shrieked, pulling her leg out from under the table, and running to meet him. He opened his arms and she threw hers around his neck as he picked her up and twirled her around.

"Well, if it isn't the Texas Twister herself," the man observed.

Bo's appetite suddenly vanished. He'd come down with a sudden case of the green eyed bug, again. Unlike Billy Ray, Sandy obviously liked this guy. He watched them together, wondering if he'd ever be able to pick her up and twirl her around like that, and even if he could, if she'd let him.

"What are you doing here?" she asked the man after he put her back down on the ground.

"Playing."

"You're kidding! That's great," she said as they started walking back to the table, arms around each other.

"Yeah, I was wondering if I might run into you, but I really didn't expect to. I heard you were working, and it looks like real hard. Besides, I know how much you love the rodeo!"

"I have been working real hard," she professed, punching him in the arm. "Unlike some people I know. How'd you know I was here, anyway?"

They looked at each other, and replied in unison, "Timmy!"

"You talked to him lately, darlin?" the man asked.

"Yeah, last night. He didn't say anything about you," After a slight pause, she continued, "Oh boy, he hasn't said anything about this. How's he doing? Really?"

"He wanted to come along."

"Yeah, I have no doubt. Dang it, ya know, he's just gonna have to forget about what our daddy wanted him to do, and follow his heart. This has got to be killing him," Sandy analyzed.

"Well, maybe you can talk to him. He won't listen to us."

"He won't listen to me neither, least not about this," she said. "Hey! I want you to meet some folks!" Sandy grabbed hold of Tracey's hand as she dragged him the rest of the way back to the table. She introduced him, then introduced each of the Dukes. "Tracey is my brother, Timmy's, best friend," she told them.

"What? We're not friends?" Tracey asked her, pretending to be hurt.

"Well of course we are. The three of us been friends since we was knee-high to a grasshopper. We sure got into a lot trouble together when we were little," she said.

"When we were big, too," he reminded her.

"Yeah," she whispered, smiling at some misplaced memory.

"Well, I gotta get back. We got a lot to do before the show, and the guys will be accusing me of not doing my fair share. It was nice to meet ya'll," he said, tipping his hat, "ma'am," he said to Daisy. "Why don't you come find me after the show? The guys would love to see ya."

"I'll try, but no promises." she told him.

Sandy's possible rendezvous later did nothing except fuel Bo's jealousy. It reminded him that she had a life that didn't include him, and he didn't like that one little bit. Instead of the fun loving boy that had showed up, he became quiet as a church mouse.

Bo's silence was deafening, and Sandy was more than a little worried about him. She hoped that they hadn't overdone it, taking him out for so long his first time. She went back into therapist mode. "You ok, Bo?" she asked, checking to see if he had a fever. He didn't.

"Yeah," he told her.

"You sure? Are you tired?"

"No."

"You're awfully quiet. Are you sure there's nothing wrong?"

"Positive," he said, and it was clear that whatever it was, and she was sure it was something, he didn't want to talk about it.

The only other thing she could guess that was responsible for his mood swing was Betty Jean's behavior earlier that day. She cursed the girl under her breath, completely unaware that she was the culprit.

* * *

Bo couldn't climb the bleachers, but thanks to the generosity of friends and strangers alike, the Duke party was offered seats in the front row. Sandy watched most of the events, but excused herself prior to the start of the calf tying exhibition. Betty Jean wasn't entered in that competition. She had already competed in a couple of events, but hadn't won either of them. Sandy seemed to have impeccable timing, strolling back just as the last calf was being carried off. Bo saw her in the distance, a scowl on her face. He couldn't help but give a little chuckle at the look of disgust. His heart swelled, thinking back at how good she'd been with that poor little calf that morning, kind and gentle, just like she'd always been with him. Animal or human, it just wasn't in her nature to hurt anything or anyone.

When she sat back down, he looked at her. "You ok?" he was now asking her.

"Fine," she said, smiling up at him. "Long line," she fibbed.

"Uh-huh," he mocked as he slipped his arm around her, happy that she seemed content to leave it there.

* * *

The rodeo was over, and that meant it was time for the live entertainment. The fairgrounds managed to book a big name headliner, and Tracey's band was the opening act. As they walked out on stage, Tracey saw her and started waving, and she waved back. The other band members looked to see who he was waving at, and soon joined in. Tracey must not have told them that she was around because they seemed genuinely surprised to see her. Signaling and motioning with their hands and eyes, they were having a conversation amongst themselves that no one else understood. It was easy to see that they knew each other very well.

Most all of their music they wrote themselves, but they had to play songs that the audience recognized or they would have lost people's interest very quickly. The first song they played was very fast, and the entire audience was swaying back and forth and keeping rhythm with some parts of their bodies. The next song they slowed down. Bo's arm was still around Sandy, and in an unplanned move, she laid her head on his shoulder. Bo was happy to loan it out to her, scooting closer to act as a pillow and tightening his grip. He looked down and saw that she had her eyes closed. He wondered if she was just enjoying the music, thinking, or tired. In all the time he'd known her, he'd never known her to be really tired. He wondered what it would take to make her so, since he hadn't seemed to wear her out just yet. Then he wondered if he had. No one knew whether or not she collapsed at night when she was alone in her room.

"You tired?" he asked.

"Little."

"You ok?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Fine darlin," he assured her.

She smiled, but didn't open her eyes.

"They're good," he commented, referring to the band.

"Yes, they are," she agreed. "My brother should be up there with them right now."

"Well, if anyone can convince him,...I would think it would be you."

"I've tried. I just don't get it. That's his band, him and Tracey's. They started it when they were kids. Music's what he loves and God knows he's good. I guess I understood it a little more when daddy was alive, but I don't get it now. Mama might not be thrilled, but she always wanted us to be happy, and he's not. She'd come around, but it's like he's trying to please a ghost."

"Ghosts can be scary," Bo told her.

"Yeah, I guess," she said, laughing a little, and opening her eyes to find Bo staring down at her. He touched her face, slowly bending down as their lips grew closer. Sandy was mesmerized. She felt like she was watching it happen to someone else. She knew what was coming. She knew that as a professional, she shouldn't let it. She should stop it, the voice in her head told her, but she was powerless. Before it happened, they were interrupted by the man with the microphone.

"Hey folks! I gotta a special treat for ya'll tonight. A friend of ours has been here in your fair little town for some time now, and I bet if we give her a big hand, we can get her to come on up." The audience started clapping, though they didn't really know what they were clapping for. "Come on Sandy, get yur butt up here before I go down there and get you!"

"Like you could try," she yelled back, cursing his timing while the voice laughed at her.

She didn't want to go, but the audience was persuasive. Giving in, she walked up to the stage, and Tracey leaned over and gave her a hand up. Saying hello to everyone, she was presented with a shiny, red electric guitar. She threw the strap over her shoulder, and checked out the strings. After exchanging words, they gave a count and Sandy started the intro instrumental. She was a little better guitar player than she had let on.

No one recognized the song, it was an original one of them had written. The fact that she knew it said that she played with them from time to time. It was catchy and everyone was soon clapping in time. Luke looked at Bo, and they both gave their nod of approval. Tracey was singing the verse, and he and Sandy were standing close together jamming on the guitar. They sang the chorus together, and of course, it had to be about the Lone Star State. It seemed virtually impossible to hail from Texas as a singer or musician, and not sing about it. Now they were telling people that 'God Loved Texas Best.'

Sandy seemed to be having a good time, and the crowd was responding to her the way that all living things seemed to. Bo noticed a lot of hootin and hollering taking place from the men. He tried to forget about it, knowing that he probably had more to worry about from the man she was on stage with. Before he could really think about anything else, they finished the song, and it was his duty to let her know that he enjoyed it by clapping as long and as loud as he could.

Tracey whispered something in her ear, and she shrugged, then gave an affirmative nod. They both took off their guitars, handing them off.. Taking their microphones from the stand, a slow song started playing. They began together, and a hush fell over the crowd. Something about the song or their voices blending was very special, and everyone stopped to listen. Tracey did the first verse, then they did the chorus together. Sandy did the second verse, and Bo thought he'd died and went to heaven. All that time she'd been helping him play his guitar, he had no idea just how good she really was. She could have been a singer, but just like she wasn't interested in money, she didn't seem to be interested in fame, either. She'd been put on this earth to help people, and she'd sure helped him. He couldn't deny it anymore. He didn't just love her, he was head over heels in love with her, and he didn't know what to do about it. She was like a tumbleweed, and the day was coming soon when she was going to tumble right on out of his life. He wondered if she loved him even a little, and if in time, he could make it grow.

He was brought back to reality by the pounding under his feet. Everyone around him was standing, and the applause was deafening. Of course, some people had to show their approval by stomping, and that was making the bleachers shake. Sandy had already jumped off stage, and was making her way back to them.

"Sandy Maverick, folks," Tracey said, letting people know who she was.

Downplaying her performance, she rejoined the Dukes as they enjoyed the rest of the show. Bo slid his arm around her again, but the moment that almost happened earlier had been lost.

"I can go home with Daisy,...if you want to go meet...your friend," Bo offered after the show.

"Nah, I am tired," she replied, "but if you'd rather go with them, I'll understand."

"Are you kidding?" he joked, extremely pleased that he wouldn't have to worry about what or who she was with that night. "They drive too slow."


	14. Chapter14

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 14

A NICE DAY FOR A RIDE

The next day, Sandy reported for duty as usual, but they were going to play hooky, again, or as Sandy called it, 'readjustment therapy.' Uncle Jesse hadn't had to worry about paying her, she hadn't been working much, but it seemed to be doing Bo as much good as exercising his fingers or practicing his speech.. It was like watching a moth turn to a butterfly, or in his case, turn back to one. Sandy could tell that he'd been extremely sociable. Living like a hermit just wasn't in Bo's nature.

On the agenda for the day was horseback riding. Living on a ranch, Sandy was an excellent rider. It was one of the things she missed most about being away from home. She was raised in a saddle, and she could keep up with her brothers in almost every aspect of ranching or riding. Her mother had taught her, and was known as the best horsewoman in a large part of Texas. It ran in the veins, and Sandy was really looking forward to it.

Climbing into Dixie, the boys rode up front and the girls took the back. They were all laughing and talking, letting the wind blow through their hair, looking forward to spending the day together. Daisy had a big basket of goodies fixed, the boys had their guitars in the back, and Betty Jean was bringing the horses. Sandy was just going along for the ride because Bo had asked her to. Selecting a stretch of land on the edge of the county, it was secluded for privacy and had wonderful trails. They were sure that no one would bother them up there.

Betty Jean was already there when they pulled up. Two horses were tied to a tree, and she was brushing down one. Waving at her friend, Daisy jumped out first while Luke unbuckled Bo, then helped him up. Sandy saw Daisy and Betty Jean talking, but Betty Jean's eyes were focussed on Bo. She still couldn't tell if the rodeo queen was more surprised that he'd been hurt or that he was with someone else. The Texas Twister got the feeling that they may have had a little bit of a past together, but wasn't quite sure what it was. Bo, however, didn't seem to be too interested in Betty Jean, and that made the girl from the Lone Star state very happy.

After eating, Sandy stayed behind with the guys while the two girl-friends took the horses up a high trail. Turning to their instruments, the guys were a little gun shy about playing for her after she'd made her stage debut the night before. She told them that she'd never been serious about music, just liked hanging around her brother and a few of his friends, and playing had been fun. She got herself into position behind Bo again, and they started their own concert. Bo was finding it difficult to concentrate. Every time she sat like that, the sensations burning through his jeans were getting stronger, as was his reaction. Instead of singing, he found himself dreaming about what it would be like to be there alone with her, blanket spread out on the ground, him above her, and neither of them with their clothes on. He wondered just how, and if, his ability to make love to a woman would be affected by his injury.

When girls came back, Betty Jean offered her horse, Starlight, to Sandy. She eagerly accepted, making friends with the animal before hoisting herself up. Daisy'd been in the racing mood all morning, and Sandy told her she was game. The two took off flying, the hoofs sounding like thunder and kicking up the loose dirt behind them.

"Be careful," Bo yelled after them, hoping that they wouldn't get too reckless. He was a perfect example of just what could happen when you took too many chances and didn't heed warnings.

* * *

An hour later, the girls were finishing an exhilarating ride. After resting their animals, they started a slower trek down the incline. Three-quarters of the way back, a slight break in the thick forestry gave them a clear view of their picnic spot.

"Hey! Looks like someone decided to join the party. You know em?" Sandy asked Daisy.

"I don't know," Daisy replied slowly, her eyes transfixed on the spot below them.

Hazzard was like any other little town, most people were friendly. Being from one herself, Sandy wouldn't have given it a second thought. She would have assumed that they'd run into someone they knew, but the way Daisy answered her said something else. Her normally light and cheery voice sounded troubled. Noticing that her friend had stopped her own horse to observe, Sandy retraced the distance she had put between them. Together they continued to watch, and she couldn't help but worry about the concern on her Daisy's face.

"Daisy, what's the matter?"

"I don't know. I feel like I've seen those guys somewhere before, but I can't place them, and I'm getting a bad feeling."

Before Sandy could reply, they saw one of the men wave something in the air. It was shiny and the sun's reflection radiated off of it. Even from that distance, they could see it was a gun.

* * *

Bo and Luke were trying to be polite, making conversation with Betty Jean. She'd always liked Bo, and had sweet talked him in to asking her out a couple times in high school, but Bo just wasn't interested in her. Using the excuse that she and Daisy were friends, and that's what they should stay, he broke it off before it ever began. Betty Jo returned to Hazzard hoping to kindle something that hadn't been there in the first place. It was one of the reasons that she had scheduled a few extra days for her visit, secretly hoping that a romance might blossom. Saying that she was there to see Daisy and her parents just sounded better. She'd heard about what had happened to Bo, and she'd been told that he was doing great. She hadn't been aware of how seriously injured he'd been, nor that doing great meant wearing braces. At first, she'd been surprised, but then she thought that she might be able to use it to her advantage, caring for the not completely healed Bo. She knew through the grapevine that he hadn't been involved with anyone prior to the shooting so the last thing she expected was to see was Sandy Maverick guarding him like a mama bear protects her cubs.

Luke knew that she was making his cousin uncomfortable. She kept asking all about his injuries and what had happened, and Bo didn't want to explain it to her. He'd give her short replies, and then Luke would try to steer the conversation in another direction, asking questions about life on the rodeo circuit. She had always loved to talk about herself, and that hadn't changed, but somehow, she still managed to turn the focus right back to Bo. Luke grinned at her pitiful attempts to woe the blonde, wanting to tell her that she was wasting her time; Bo's heart was already spoken for.

Finally, feeling sorry for his cousin, Luke made up some excuse to get her away from him, asking her to show him something that wasn't important. She agreed, and Luke led her in the direction of her truck and trailer, grinning at Bo who shot him a grateful look.

While Luke was pretending to be interested in whatever the rodeo queen was saying, Bo saw the two men approaching. Something about them caught his eye, and he watched them closely. Recognition set in as they got closer. He knew that he should warn Luke or do something, but the fear he felt paralyzed him in ways that the pot shot hadn't. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move. All he could do was to shake, violently.

Luke glanced over his shoulder at Bo. His cousin was looking in his direction, but he was white as a ghost and trembling so bad that Luke could see it a mile away. "Bo? Bo! What's the matter?" he shouted. Before he could move, he felt something poke him in the back.

"Get your hands where I can see him and don't move," a voice commanded. "Okay, now let's take a nice little walk over to your cousin, there. You too, sweetheart," he instructed, shoving Luke in the direction he wanted him to go.

Luke knew they were in trouble, but he didn't know what he should be more worried about: the predicament they were in or that it looked like Bo was going to have a heart attack. "It's ok, cuz," he whispered when he was close enough, but Bo was non-responsive.

"Aw, ain't that sweet, Charlie? It's ok, cuz," the second man mocked.

"Yeah, it sure it sweet," Charlie responded, "but it ain't gonna be okay,  _cuz_!"

Luke and Betty Jean were told to sit down next to Bo, and only then did Luke understand what was wrong with him. Charlie and his friend were the ones who had shot him, and now they were standing in front of them, pointing a gun at them again. Luke slid his arm around Bo, trying to offer him any comfort he could, but he had to admit, he didn't know how they were going to get out of this one.

* * *

"We got to help em," Daisy announced, getting ready to take off as fast as her ride would carry her.

"Daisy, wait!" Sandy told her, trying not to scream and give away their own location. She grabbed the reigns, preventing the brunette from recklessly charging in.

"Don't have time to wait, they're in trouble."

"I know that, but getting ourselves caught ain't gonna help them."

"Well then, what are we going to do?" Daisy asked.

"The boys didn't bring their bows and arrows, did they?"

"No," Daisy cried, thinking they had no reason to believe that they'd need them.

"Great," Sandy muttered. "Well, we ain't got no weapons so we ain't gonna be able to do anything from up here. We need to get down there first, quietly!"

"What are we gonna do then? They've got guns," Daisy sobbed, almost hysterically.

"Yeah, I know, but we got something that they don't." Daisy looked up, not knowing what the therapist was talking about. "Brains," Sandy replied to the unasked question. "We'll think of something before we get there," she promised, crossing her fingers behind her back.

"We better, or they're gonna kill Bo and Luke," Daisy stated, forgetting all about Betty Jean.

"No, they ain't," Sandy stated back, thinking they'd have to kill her before she'd let them hurt Bo Duke, not knowing why anyone would want to in the first place.

* * *

"Come on Charlie, let's take care of them and get out of here."

"We can't do that yet, Jack. We gotta wait for those other two girls."

"Why?"

"To tie up loose ends, remember? No witnesses this time."

Luke Duke was sitting next to Bo, his arm still draped protectively around him. Bo's quivering had only increased, and his eyes remained glued to the gun in Charlie's hand. Bo had slipped into some type of catatonic state, and Luke wondered if they made it out alive, whether they'd even get Bo back. All the oldest Duke could do was sit there and hold the youngest, praying that everything would be all right, and comforting Bo despite who was laughing at him. He hoped that on some level, Bo could hear him and know that he was there.

Betty Jean was sitting on the other side of Bo, but she was almost in as bad a shape as he was. She wasn't trying to comfort Bo, she was too busy trying to comfort herself.

Luke didn't want to rile up the two trigger happy men since they had guns directed at them, but after listening to their conversation, it was too hard to resist. "So, you mean to tell us that you came back to Hazzard and are now prepared to  _kill_  five people to avoid being charged with attempted murder? I think that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life."

Jack stepped forward, intending on teaching Luke some manners, but Charlie restrained him. "Let him talk. He won't be doing it for much longer."

Luke felt Bo flinch slightly as Jack took those steps. He hoped it was a good sign that Bo was still somewhere in there.

* * *

When Sandy and Daisy got close, they dismounted. Making the rest of the journey on foot, they carefully watched every twig and branch under their feet that could snap and send a signal that they were on their way. When they couldn't go any further, they stopped, hiding behind the brush. Thankful that they hadn't heard any shots fired on their downward expedition, they could see that the boys and Betty Jean were seated and they looked like they were unharmed, so far.

"Now what do we do?" Daisy whispered.

Sandy had been looking for anything that they could use while guiding Starlight down the trail. She was glad that she had taken Betty Jean's horse, as Daisy's wasn't equipped with the same things that a rodeo competitor would need. She would have preferred a six shooter, or even the boys' bows and arrows, but under the circumstances, it was better than nothing.

"I got an idea," Sandy whispered back. "I think we can take care of one of em, but that leaves Bo, Luke, and Betty Jean with the other. Bo don't look like he's doing so good, and Betty Jean looks worthless."

"That's ok. Luke is quick on his feet and real smart. If we give him an opportunity, he'll take care of the other one," Daisy stated matter-of-factly.

"I was hoping you'd say that," Sandy grinned. Now, they just had to get Luke's attention so that he knew what was coming. Taking off her belt buckle, Sandy quickly caught the sun's beam, hoping that Luke would see it, but not the other two clowns. It worked, Luke looked in the direction of the flash. Sandy motioned upward with her thumb, and Luke nodded ever so slightly.

"Okay, now what's the plan?" Daisy asked.

"You think you can get one of them to follow you over here?"

"I think I can manage that," Daisy smiled.

"I was hoping you'd say that, too. Let's do it."

Sandy climbed back on her horse, and Daisy started walking closer to the campsite, careful to stay behind the trees until she wanted them to see her. When she was ready, she gave her oldest cousin a signal.

Luke gave Bo a reassuring squeeze, hoping that he felt it before letting go. "Oh! Ow! OW!" he yelped, holding his leg. He fell on his side then shifted to his knees.

"Hey! What are you doing? Sit back down!" Charlie yelled at him.

"Caaaaaaan't," Luke cried. "I've got a cramp..., in my leg..., hurts...so bad..., gotta stand up...for a minute," he said, starting to rise.

"You better sit down or I'll put you out of your misery forever," Charlie told him, waving the gun.

With Luke's performance, Daisy had inched her way closer, no longer hidden by the trees. Now it was her turn. "Hey sugar! Ya'll looking for me?" she yelled.

Forgetting about Luke momentarily, Charlie and Jack spun around to see Daisy Duke standing several yards away from them, waving. "Go get her, and find out where her friend is!" Charlie ordered Jack. Daisy stood still, smiling sweetly as he approached her, luring him in. When he was far enough from Charlie and close enough to her, she started running. Sandy burst through the trees, still atop the horse. Charging toward him, Jack didn't even bother to try to fire the gun. His natural instinct was to run, in the opposite direction.

As Sandy bolted from the cover of the forest, Luke made his move. Using his leg that was no longer suffering from cramps, he kicked the gun out of Charlie's hand. He would have liked to have kicked it so that it flew further, but he didn't have time to worry about that just then. Before Charlie knew what was happening, Luke jumped on top of him, and the two men started rolling around on the ground exchanging punches.

Jack was still running, but it wasn't to be for long. He hadn't made it very far before he felt a rope slip over him. It felt like a noose except it was around his body instead of only his neck. Sandy pulled back, and Jack felt the lasso tighten around. His arms were pulled toward his sides, causing him to drop the gun, and he was unable to move. She gave the cord a good tug, yanking him off his feet. She would have liked to have taken him for a little ride, but they had more important things to worry about. Jumping down from her horse, she spotted the gun lying on the ground. She picked it up, and stuck it face down in her jeans. Daisy joined her, and Sandy showed her the art of calf tying. If it had been a competition, she would have set a new record time.

"Ready to go for a little ride?" she asked her catch with a wicked grin and a wink. Not waiting for an answer, she and Daisy mounted, galloping off in Bo and Luke's direction, pulling Jack behind them.

Luke and Charlie were still on the ground trading blows. Having rolled close to the gun Charlie had dropped earlier, the would-be assassin was able to reach it. Luke tried to stop him, but Charlie managed to pick it up. Getting to his feet, he pointed it at Luke. The oldest Duke boy had no choice but to stop fighting and put his hands up.

Sandy saw the finger twitching on the trigger. Pulling out Jack's gun, she pointed it at Charlie as the pounding hoofs announced their arrival. "Drop it," she commanded.

Showing her an evil smirk, he slowly turned away, once again concentrating on Luke. She saw the trigger going back again. Squeezing her own, she sent a shot close enough to his feet to make him jump, but he managed to hold onto the weapon. "Don't make me tell you again!" she yelled. "I'm from Texas, gun control to us means hitting the target. Now drop it!"

Letting his hand go limp, Charlie let go of the gun and it fell to the ground with a thump. Daisy climbed down, but Sandy stayed still, keeping her revolver ready. Luke bent down to pick up the weapon. One thing about Charlie, he was persistent. Disobeying Sandy's command, he pitched forward. As the two struggled over the gun again, it went off, stopping everyone in their tracks, including Luke. He stumbled backwards before falling to the ground next to Bo.

The shot spooked Sandy's horse and before she could do anything, the frightened animal raised up in protest. She managed to keep herself from being bucked off, but the gun she had trained on Charlie came loose. Starlight stood up again before bolting off in full stride. Sandy had no choice but to ride it out, as did Jack, who was being bounced along behind them. Sandy wasn't thinking of the man she was dragging, she was too worried about the men she was leaving behind.

* * *

Oops! - I forgot to put a tranquilizer warning at the top for some of the more excitable readers.


	15. Chapter 15

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 15

WORSE THAN A BAD DAY

Bo Duke had been living in fear for months, robbed of his innocence and the only life that he had ever known. He'd overcome a lot of obstacles along the way, but the terror was always there, lurking in the shadows. As soon as he saw Charlie's face again it bubbled to the surface, crippling him more than his physical injuries ever had. He was aware of everything that was going on around him, aware that he should have been doing something, but unable to. Though still breathing, a pot shot fired by two men had virtually taken his life. Now, thanks to his own inaction, a deliberate shot fired by the same men had robbed him of something that he loved even more, his cousin.

Bo saw Luke fall backwards, landing next to him. He saw the red staining the plaid material. Knowing that his best friend was dead, he wasn't about to let Charlie desecrate Luke's body with another bullet. Though it was too late, Bo wasn't paralyzed anymore. Lurching forward, he tackled Charlie below the knees, sending him to the ground and the second shot flailing in the air.

Bo wouldn't have had a chance if he'd had to fight standing up. However, with both of them on the ground, the playing field was even. The blonde managed to get on top of the killer, delivering blow after blow. Bo Duke had been forced to develop an immense upper body strength thanks to the man underneath him, and now he was giving him a front row seat for show and tell.

Daisy ran to get the guns. She doubted that Charlie would be making any quick moves after Bo got through with him, but he had already proven that he was determined. Having both of them in her hands, she wondered which cousin she should tend to first. Bo seemed to be doing fine so she decided to let him be. She sensed that this was something her youngest cousin needed to get out of his system so she walked over to Luke, relieved to see him sitting up. There was a rip in his shirt, the blue plaid was now red, and he seemed dazed, but he didn't appear to be seriously wounded.

"You killed Luke," they heard Bo growl, "now I'm gonna kill you."

Daisy and Luke looked at each other. As much as Bo needed to release the rage inside of him to take back his own life, he was being driven by a higher power. They knew full well that in his state of confusion, if Bo believed that Charlie was responsible for Luke Duke's death, he would make good on his threat. They had to stop him before he was the one that ended up in jail.

"Bo! Bo!" Luke called to him, trying to get his attention. Charlie was already beat to a pulp, it wouldn't have taken too much more to finish him off. He hoped that between his voice and Daisy's help, they could reach him. Luke wasn't hurt that badly, but the shot had left him able to use only one arm. Bo was very strong, especially when he was angry, and Luke had never seen his cousin so angry before in his life, not even after being shot himself. "I'm ok, Bo. Please stop," Luke pleaded.

Bo's arm froze in mid air as he listened to the hallucination. Luke couldn't be talking to him, he was dead, yet he'd listen to the devil if it meant that he could still see Luke. Raising his head, he turned toward the voice. "Luke?" he asked, blinking rapidly.

"Yeah Bo, it's ok. I'm ok. It's only a graze," he told him softly, wanting him to stop, but not to return to where he'd been earlier.

"Luke!" he cried, forgetting all about his catch of the day.

In that instant, they discovered that Charlie might have been down, but he wasn't completely out. He raised his fist and struck Bo in the head, on the right side, the site that one of his bullets had already wreaked havoc on. Bo fell on top of Charlie, unconscious.

Luke and Daisy rushed to his side. Charlie was trying to get Bo off of him, and weakly returning some of the punches that his victim had bestowed upon him. He was winning with the jabs, but wasn't having as much luck getting out from underneath Bo's dead weight. Luke was trying to get Bo away from the man as best he could with only one arm, but they weren't getting very far. Charlie struck out and hit Luke, causing him to cry out in pain and fall backwards taking Bo with him. Daisy pulled her arm back, and delivered the knock out punch.

"Luke, ya ok?" Daisy asked as she kneeled next to both of them.

"Yeah."

"Bo, you okay?" Daisy and Luke asked simultaneously, but he wasn't answering. Bo was out cold. They were both worried that Charlie may have done more damage, but neither of them wanted to say anything, thinking that if they said it, it would end up coming true. Bo had come so far that the thought of a set-back was too much to bear.

"Bo! Come on, Bo. Wake up, please," Luke pleaded to no avail.

Sandy, having managed to get Starlight under control, was now sliding off of him. Glancing around, she wasn't sure what had happened. When the horse had taken off, Luke was on the ground and Bo was sitting upright. Now, their positions were reversed.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Charlie hit him," Daisy cried, "in the head, on the right side."

Understanding what Daisy was telling her, Sandy nodded. She didn't want to alarm them, but she knew that it could be serious. Relieved that his pulse was good, she called to him. "Bo? Bo, can you hear me? Wake up, now, ok?" She got the same response Daisy and Luke had gotten.

"Betty Jean! Betty Jean!" Sandy yelled, only to be greeted by silence. "Oh forget it! Daisy, go call for an ambulance. Better make that two, and see if you can find any more rope so we can tie this one up." Sandy instructed. She hated having to send Daisy, but Luke wasn't in any condition to go, and Betty Jean was in her own little world. As the one with the medical training, it made more sense for her to stay in case she was needed.

A few minutes later, Daisy announced that Rosco, Enos, and two ambulances were on the way. Then she handed a piece of rope to the girl with auburn hair, and between the two of them, they made sure that Charlie wouldn't be giving them anymore trouble.

"You know who these guys are?" Sandy asked.

"They're the ones that shot Bo," Daisy told her.

Sandy looked over at the boys. Luke was still holding Bo, and Bo was still unconscious, which she didn't consider to be a good sign. When Charlie started moaning, Sandy lifted him up by the shirt and took her own turn swatting him. "That's for Bo," she told him, sending him back to la-la land.

* * *

Charlie and Jack were admitted to the hospital, where Enos was placed on guard. Even handcuffed to their beds, no one was taking any chances on them getting away. Justice needed to be done so that everyone could move forward, and they had a date with a judge. A trial seemed doubtful. Taking a plea was their only hope of ever seeing the light of day again, and that was only if they lived to a ripe old age. The situation wasn't funny, but the logic behind their return was not only misguided, it was comical. They planned on killing to avoid being charged with one count of attempted murder, now they were facing six. Rosco informed them that with thinking like that, they had a bright future ahead of them in the state penitentiary.

On a positive note, Bo and Luke fared better than twiddle-dee and twiddle dum. They were released from the hospital, and by the time night fell on the Duke farmstead both boys were tucked in their own beds. Both refused admittance, and no one wanted them that close to the men who were responsible for their conditions anyway.

Luke had been extremely lucky. The bullet had just grazed him, missing everything that was important. It was painful, but he was spared from having to go through any therapy, himself, although he told Sandy he wouldn't have minded if she had been the one assigned to him.

Bo regained consciousness after arriving at the hospital. The tests they ran didn't indicate any additional damage, and except for a little more stuttering, they didn't think there would be any complications. The doctors attributed his speech difficulties to trauma.

* * *

Bo couldn't help but be affected by the events in his life the last few months. No one could live through everything he had and not be. It was hard to fully digest that someone in the world wanted him dead that bad He was still apprehensive, but beating Charlie had been a type of therapy of its own. Knowing that Charlie and Jack were going to jail for a long time also helped. Yet, Bo would never be able to look at the world in exactly the same way, no matter how hard he tried. His ability to walk and talk hadn't been the only thing they'd taken from him. For the first time, he understood why Luke had returned from the war so different.

Being confined to their beds for a few days, and still having them next to each other, the Duke cousins weren't able to hide much from the other. Not having much else to do except sleep, they had all the time in the world to talk, and in this case, that was the best medicine. Bo told Luke for the millionth time that he didn't blame him for what had happened Luke assured Bo that he didn't blame him for getting hurt, either. Under the circumstances, he considered Bo's reaction to be completely normal. He finalized his argument, reminding the younger boy that he had acted when it really counted, thus saving his life.

They couldn't help but smile when they thought about just how great Daisy and Sandy had been. Daisy standing there, calling sweetly to Jack, and Sandy lassoing him was good for a hearty laugh. When it came right down to it, they were the ones who had really saved everyone. Luke reminded Bo that he'd just been sitting there too, when Sandy caught his attention with that glint of sunlight flashing off her buckle. Operation Dukey Freedom was the girls' plan, he had just played the part he'd been given. For once, Luke Duke couldn't take the credit for saving their hides. The glory belonged to the girls, and they needed to find some way to properly thank them. The boys were sure that if they thought about it long enough, they'd come up with something.

That directed Bo's thoughts in another direction, one that he liked much better. The storm was dissipating, but it left him thinking a lot about twisters. He knew that he'd never find anyone else like Sandy. She could round up the FBI's most wanted with one hand and calm a wild beast with the other. He'd been robbed of a lot of things over the last few months, some of which he wasn't sure he'd ever get back. She'd stolen his heart, but that was the one thing he didn't want back. He may have had a little setback, but he knew he was almost recovered, and with that accomplishment, she would be leaving. He didn't want it to happen, but he didn't know how to stop it. No longer so afraid of Charlie and Jack, now he found himself more afraid of what the future held in store for him, or more accurately, what it didn't, namely Sandy Maverick.

* * *

While Bo and Luke were restricted to bed rest, Sandy visited everyday, but she and Bo spent less time together. Their schedule had been interrupted, but she wanted to make sure that her patient hadn't suffered a major relapse; a minor one was expected. Her therapy over the days following their little encounter was more TLC than anything else. She knew that Bo was fragile right then, but when she saw him bouncing back, she knew that her days in Hazzard were numbered. She'd already started looking over case files that had been forwarded to her, trying to select her next one after a trip home. She hadn't shared that with any of the Dukes, but she knew that they had to be aware that her time with them was almost over.

Relationships flow through cycles, and as one is ending, it reverts backwards. The people involved start pulling away, becoming more reserved and guarded. It's not a conscious thought; it's a built-in defense mechanism. Sandy understood that's what was happening to her. She also knew that Bo didn't, and it was hurting him. Causing him pain was the last thing that she wanted to do, but saying goodbye was always hard. For his sake, as well as her own, she had to go back into therapist mode. The voice inside her head was silent, and she knew that was because she was doing the right thing for once, for everyone except maybe herself.

* * *

As soon as Bo was paroled from his mattress, it was important to get him right back out in the world. Physically, he was fine, but emotionally, the farm could have turned into a safe haven he never wanted to leave. Sandy wasn't going to let that happen. Packing the basket, she took him to the Hazzard Pond, again. He'd always liked it there, and she believed that it was familiar enough not to terrify him. She was delighted when he accepted without hesitation. It would be just the two of them, as Luke graciously declined. She was so busy congratulating herself on her slyness that she failed to think about why Bo was so eager. She never considered that he might have his own ulterior motives.

They'd arrived at their destination, and were all alone by the water. Having devoured their lunch, they were just talking and joking with each other, but no therapy had taken place yet. Bo was sitting upright entertaining Sandy with another tale about life in Hazzard. She was resting on her side, laughing at his story, deciding whether there was any truth to it or he had made the whole thing up.

Her Stetson was tossed aside on the blanket in favor of a new hair accessory. While she and Bo were strolling toward the pond, he stopped suddenly. He asked Sandy to help him keep his balance, scaring her until she saw him reach out and snap off one of the most beautiful flowers she had ever seen. The wild Camellia that Bo selected was in full bloom, resembling something between a carnation and a peony. Before she could fathom what Bo would want with a poesy, he slipped it behind her ear, his hand lingering on her cheek as he looked into her eyes. It stirred a range of emotions that she couldn't allow herself to feel. Trying to lighten the mood, she placed her own hand over his, but rather than allowing herself to touch him the way she really wanted, she gave him a reassuring squeeze. Flashing a smile, she thanked him and immediately removed the hat she always wore. Camellias and Stetsons just didn't mix, and she liked the flower better, but she couldn't tell him that. She prodded him along before he could do or say something that she wouldn't be able to resist, pretending not to notice the disappointment on his face.

Sandy's mirth faded quickly when she realized that Bo was no longer sharing in it. He was silent and his eyes were glued to her face. She knew what he wanted, she wanted it, too, but she was the trained professional, and it was time that she started acting like it. Summoning every iota of willpower she had, she winked at him. Announcing that it was time to get to work, she hoped that she was doing a better job of hiding her misery than he was his.

Directing his attention to something else he loved, she handed him the guitar then took her normal position behind him. Bo told her he wanted to learn the song that she and Tracey had done at the rodeo, and Sandy was more than happy to teach it to him, giving both of their minds something else to think about. To Bo's ears, they sounded just as good together as she and her friend. He shut his eyes, listening to their voices mix, feeling extremely excited. Without Luke there to help him out this time, he knew he was on his own.

Bo was so lost in his own thoughts and feelings that he hadn't been paying attention. During the course of the song, she removed her hands from his. He played by himself for the first time. When she told him, he couldn't believe it. He was thrilled until he really thought about the implication. It confirmed that her time with him would soon be over.

She was so proud of him, that she wrapped her arms around his waist, despite the fact that she had sworn she had to stop.

"Bo, you really are almost back to normal. You no longer need me," she whispered, trying to ease into the subject that she didn't want to talk about anymore than he did.

He felt the remark like a slap in the face. He turned his head toward her. Their faces were only inches apart. "I'll always need...you," he said. Bo leaned in before she could move away, and his lips found hers. When she didn't resist, he increased the pressure and the intensity of the kiss, raising his hand to caress her face. He surprised himself when he was the one to pull back. He needed to see her reaction.

She was overwhelmed by the power of her own feelings. She found herself looking into his eyes, searching for answers, the same way he was looking into hers.

"You want to...go out with...me?" he asked, "on a date...a real one?"

"I can't Bo, you're a patient," Sandy replied, having regained her senses.

"So?"

"It wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be ethical. I'd be taking advantage of you."

"Take advanta...tage of me...please."

"You're a funny man again, Bo."

"Nothing funny about the way...I feel about...you."

Oh God! He'd done it again. With a few simple words, he'd left her speechless and breathless, though she knew that his vocabulary wasn't the only thing contributing to her increased respiration. Sandy gasped. She had no doubt that at the moment, he meant every word, or at least that he thought he meant it, but she believed there could be another explanation, and that was why she couldn't give in to her heart, no matter how wildly it was beating.

Seeing that her guard was down, he added, "I love you...Sandy."

"Oh Bo!" she cried, taking his face in her hands. "One of the reasons that therapists can't date their patients is because many of them think they've fallen in love. It's a normal, and a very common reaction."

"Not for me...I definitely didn't...love Bertha."

"I know, but that was an unusual case, and what she did to you was wrong. When two people work together so hard and for so long, it can cause a dependency. The patient's been through an awful lot, and looks at the person helping them like a savior. The therapist has a tendency to develop very protective feelings for them in return. These feelings can be confused with love or with being in love."

"I know what the...difference is."

"Under normal circumstance, I'm sure you do. You might even know the difference right now, but it would be unprofessional of me to act. Besides, you might know the difference, but right now, I'm not sure I do."

"You do feel it...too, don't you?" he asked, daring to hope.

"Oh yeah, Bo. I feel it, too."

"You love me...or you're in love...with me?"

"I love you, Bo, and I think I'm in love with you, too."

Bo leaned forward and kissed her again, but this time it was a light kiss. "You feel like this...about all your patients?"

"I care about all my patients, but no, I've never felt like this before."

"Good!" he said, shifting so that she was in his arms. He just held her, and she let him, though she knew she shouldn't.

After a few minutes of sitting like that, Bo leaned down. "What if I weren't...a patient?"

"Then I'd kick your butt from here to Amarillo if you didn't ask me out, Bo Duke."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Bo's determination soared through the roof; he'd play it her way. He was already almost completely well. This was going to prompt him to finish the job twice as fast. Before she left, he was gonna ask her for a date, and she was gonna accept, and when it happened, it would be with a fully recovered Bo Duke, the old Bo Duke. He'd do everything he could to make sure she was so in love with him that she'd never leave. Time, however, was not on his side.

* * *

The following day when the Camaro drove up, it was much earlier than usual. All of the Dukes were outside and looked at each other. The driver's side door opened, and Sandy got out, but today she didn't toss her Stetson into the back or passenger seat. She couldn't throw it on the seat next to her, there was someone sitting in it. Then that door opened, and a man stepped out.

The Dukes were getting pretty good at being able to spot a Texan a mile away. They all dressed alike in jeans with belt buckles, but that described half the people in Hazzard, too. It was always the hat that was the dead giveaway, and this stranger had on his own version of the Texas cowboy bonnet. He wasn't that tall, not even as tall as Luke, but he was slender and good looking. He had a round baby face, with soft brown hair that was short. The only reason that they could see the color was because his Stetson was tilted back on his head exposing the front bangs. It wasn't curly or wavy. It looked to be straight, and it looked like he normally combed it off to the side, though they couldn't be sure. He leaned against the car door, apparently knowing that Sandy wanted to approach the family by herself.

By now, the Dukes had all gathered next to the steps waiting to see what was going on. Sandy's usual morning greeting and wide smile were missing. Her eyes were downcast, and as she got closer, they could see that they were red and swollen. She looked like she'd been crying all night.

"Good morning," Uncle Jesse greeted her softly, speaking for his entire family. "Is everything all right?"

"I need to talk to ya'll," she said.

"Well ok, here we are. You want to come in the house for coffee so we can sit down at the table? Your friend's welcome to join us," he said, despite the look Bo gave him.

"Ah no, I'm afraid we can't stay." She took a deep breath. "I have to go home," she said, looking at each one of them before stopping to look at her patient. "Bo, I've contacted another therapist who's agreed to finish up with you, at no charge. You're almost done, and I have your crutches in the car. She'll work with you on using them and then working up to a cane, and before you know it, you won't need any help. Your hands and arms are ok, just keep working with them, and the same with your speech. Practice here really does make perfect, and Luke, Daisy, and Uncle Jesse can still work with you, too."

"But...but...I'm not close to being done," he stammered, thinking of anything to say to keep her from leaving.

She laid a hand on his arm, and gave a half smile. "Yeah, you are," she whispered. "Bo, you're the hardest working person I've ever met in my life. There's nothing that you can't do. Remember those bad days that I first promised you?" When he nodded, she continued. "Well, we really didn't have any cause you worked so hard. The good news is that the future will be even better."

"Unless you count...today. This is...worse than a bad day," Bo choked.

"Honey, is everything all right?" Uncle Jesse asked her.

Turning her attention from Bo to the older man, she answered, "my mom died."

"Oh my gosh, we're so sorry," they all told her.

"Thank you," she replied, trying not to cry.

"Well honey, we'll miss you, and we can't tell you how much you mean to us," Daisy said, stepping forward first to hug her.

Uncle Jesse was next. "You take care of yourself for a little while now. You're always so busy taking care of everyone else. You really are very special to us."

Luke didn't think he'd ever find a way to tell her the way he felt. "We love you," he said, as he grabbed her with his good arm. "I love you. I can't tell you how much I love you for giving Bo back to us."

"I love ya'll, too," she confessed, then turned to Bo. He started moving, wanting their goodbye to be in private.

"I'm sorry...Sandy. Is there...anything I can...do?"

"Yes Bo, as a matter of fact there is. Keep working to finish what we started here."

"I will...I promise."

"I believe you," she said.

"Are you coming back?" he asked, wanting a promise, but knowing that he couldn't push her under the circumstances.

"I don't know," she answered, thinking that she'd have no reason to since he was better and would have time to figure out that she had been right about his feelings for her.

"I love you," he told her.

"I love you, too," she breathed.

Bo bent down and kissed her, and she responded, telling the screaming voice in her head to 'go to hell.'

She touched the side of his face after they broke apart, then said they had to go. When they reached the car, the young man tipped his hat. He must have been able to figure out that Bo wouldn't be able to offer a handshake. "Hi. I'm Tim Maverick."

Relieved that it was her brother, her favorite brother, and not a suitor, Bo nodded. "Bo Duke," he said, and the man nodded like he knew him or knew of him.

Sandy got the box out of her trunk that had Bo's crutches, and Uncle Jesse came down and got it. He turned and walked back to the porch, leaving Bo and Sandy to their final few seconds.

"Ready sis?" her brother asked, and she nodded, tossing him the keys.

He went over to the driver's side, but didn't get in right away.

"Bye Bo," she told him, and he bent down and kissed her again. She opened the door and settled herself in the seat.

Bo looked across the hood at her brother. "You take care of her," he told him.

Bringing his hand up to the tip of his hat, he replied, "I will."

Sandy and Bo looked at each other as the rest of the Dukes gathered around their youngest. Tim started the car, and they watched the license plate grow smaller. Just like a real tornado, she had blown into their lives and blown out just as fast, leaving a path in her way.

"I'll call you!" Bo shouted at the retreating vehicle.

Bo stood there staring long after she was gone until Luke walked over and led him back to the house. Bo was sure that he'd wasted the last few months trying to get better. He was positive that his aching heart would kill him right then and there.


	16. Chapter 16

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 16

TORNADO WATCH

It had been almost one year to the day that Sandy Maverick left Hazzard, and Bo. To look at him now, a person would have never believed that he had been shot, almost died, and left unable to move. He had made a complete recovery, a genuine miracle, and there wasn't a day that went by that everyone in the Duke household didn't say a prayer of thanks. He walked without the aide of anyone or anything, without a limp, and at his pre-shooting speed. He could run and jump into the General the same way he always had. The day that he drove General Lee again for the first time had been one of the happiest days in both Bo and Luke's lives. They owned the car jointly, but Bo was the one who rightfully belonged behind the wheel. If he had been driving that dreaded day, he wouldn't have been shot. Luke still thought about that a lot, and Bo still rebuked him, saying that it happened the way it was meant to be. Bo reminded Luke that he might have been killed, considering their height difference, but his cousin thought he wouldn't have been shot at all. Finally, they agreed to stop arguing over it. What was done was done, and they couldn't change it. Things had worked out. Bo re-gained complete control over the use of his hands and fingers. He worked side by side in the fields right alongside his uncle and cousin, trying to make up for all the extra work they did when he couldn't. He even spoke without any type of a stutter or impediment. If you didn't know it had happened, looking at Bo wouldn't have told you, and he was as popular as ever with the girls, though he wasn't quite as interested in them anymore.

Yet, no matter how good Bo looked, felt, or moved, it had happened, and there was no one in the Duke family that could deny it. It had changed all of them. It gave them an appreciation for each day that they were given together, and made them an even stronger family than they'd been in the past. Bo told them all the time how much he loved them, knowing that it was their love that saw him through. They could have locked him up, made him some institution's problem, but they didn't. They'd never given up hope, even when there didn't seem to be much hope to grab on to. The boys were more careful, no longer taking silly risks with their lives. They couldn't tell themselves anymore that nothing would happen. It already had.

Bo became much more thoughtful of those around him. He was less wild. It was like he had grown up. He managed to retain some of his child-like innocence, but it wasn't quite as dominant as it had once been, and in some ways, those who loved him most, missed it. It was a quality that endeared Bo to a lot of people.

There was something else that was different about Bo, too. The eyes that always twinkled now held a tint of sadness. The reason why was no mystery.

Twelve months had passed since the Texas Twister had blown out of town, and Bo missed her. She never came back, and Bo never got up enough nerve to call her. After enough time went by, he doubted that she wanted to hear from him, thinking that she would have called if she did. He assumed that in her absence, she realized that she hadn't been in love with him after all.

Sandy Maverick had picked up the phone a hundred times. She told herself she just wanted to check on Bo's progress, make sure he was doing ok. She didn't need a voice to know it was just an excuse, but it made her feel better. She'd even dialed a few of the numbers on occasion, only to slam the receiver down. She'd told Bo that he had developed a dependency on her that didn't qualify as being in love. Having not heard from him, she guessed he figured that out, and had gone on with his life, which didn't include her. She didn't know what she would have said to him anyway, and she'd been busy with the ranch since her mom's passing. She'd only just recently returned to her true profession, but she no longer traveled too far from home. Anywhere she went had to be within driving distance to the ranch. She had responsibilities there.

Given the amount of time involved, Luke knew for sure that when Bo told Sandy he loved her, he'd meant it. His cousin had never before stayed interested in a girl longer than six months, especially one that wasn't even around. He'd always said there were too many to be exclusive, though he never saw more than one at a time. He just didn't keep them around too long or they didn't keep him. There'd been a few that might have lasted a while for Bo, but the girl called it quits, leaving a devastated Duke boy to direct his affections elsewhere. Now, no one could get his attention. The Texas Tornado had taken Bo's heart with her back to the Lone Star state.

Luke decided it was time for an intervention. He didn't tell Bo anything, not wanting him to be disappointed if it didn't work out. If it did, it would just be that much more of a surprise. Luke picked up the phone and dialed the number that she had once given them. A lady answered, announcing to the caller that he had reached The Southern Comfort, but it wasn't Sandy's voice.

"Ah yes, is Sandy in?"

"May I tell her who's calling?"

"An old friend. I'd really like to surprise her," Luke said.

"One moment please."

After a short delay, he heard the voice he'd been waiting for. "This is Sandy Maverick. How may I help you?"

"Sandy, this is Luke Duke."

"Luke! Oh my gosh, it's been a long time. How are you?" she flooded the questions at him until a serious thought entered her mind. "Is Bo all right?" she asked, unable to hide the concern in her voice.

Luke grinned, thinking it was a good sign. She still remembered him, and she still cared about him. "Yeah, Bo is just fine. He's great."

Sandy sighed, relieved by the news. "I'm glad to hear that," she said. "Now, Luke Duke, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I was calling to invite you to the Hazzard Homecoming. You were supposed to be here last year for it, but, well...," Luke didn't know how to quite say it. He didn't want to remind her of the circumstances that forced her to leave early.

"It's ok, Luke."

"Well anyway, it's a big shin dig here in Hazzard. Lots of things going on, and it's always a lot of fun. It's kind of like a big fair, but we use the theme of homecoming, and you'd be surprised how many people who have left Hazzard come back. Some do every year, some once in a while. Guess it makes it easier to make plans to come home when there's a specific date."

"Well gee, Luke, that's real nice of you to invite me, but Hazzard's not my home."

"That may be true, but you were responsible for making our family whole again, so to us, you'll always be part of the family, and you'll always have a home here."

Sandy paused, tears stinging her eyes. Bo Duke had an uncanny ability to melt her heart with some of the things he said. Now, she knew that it ran in the family. "I think that's one of the nicest things that anyone's ever said to me."

"Well anyway, we all just miss you so much, and we'd love to see you, if you could make it."

"You know, I'm due for a vacation. I'll be there!" she told him.

"Really? Yee-haw!" Luke yelled into the phone, then apologized if he had caused any permanent hearing loss. "This time, you gotta stay at the farm, no hotel room. You're coming for a visit not to work."

"Ok."

"Really? That was too easy? What's the catch?" Luke asked.

"None. When should I be there?"

He wanted to tell her the sooner the better, but opted to give her the actual dates instead. They said goodbye, promising to see each other in a couple of weeks.

Luke ran to the room he shared with Bo, anxious to tell him who was coming to the Homecoming. "Guess."

"I don't know. Coy or Vance?"

"No," Luke said.

"Cousin Jeb?" Bo asked.

"I'll give you a hint. It's not a man, and she's not a relative."

"Luke, that could be anybody."

"Okay, I didn't want to make it too easy, but this ought to give it away. She's from Texas."

Bo shot a look toward his cousin. "Not funny Luke."

"It wasn't meant to be," he replied.

"Sandy?" Bo asked.

"Ghee whiz, give the boy a prize," Luke laughed.

"Why would Sandy be coming to the Hazzard homecoming?" Bo asked, completely confused.

"I called and invited her."

"Why?" Bo asked, thinking that she was coming as Luke's personal guest, and not liking that at all.

"Cause after all this time, it was obvious that you weren't gonna call her." Luke said.

"I don't understand," Bo said.

Luke sighed and went to sit down on the edge of Bo's bed that was once again resting alone. Luke's had been moved back to its original place months ago when Bo no longer needed someone sleeping right next to him. "Bo, I know you love her. It's time you found out how she really feels. Chances are you're both miserable, and both too stubborn to do anything about it."

"You called her for me?"

"No, I called her for Rosco. Of course, I called her for you."

"Oh! I guess I thought..." Bo stumbled, looking incredibly guilty.

"You thought I called her for me?" Bo nodded. "Ya know, if you didn't feel so strongly about her, I gotta admit, I might take my own chance, but I'd never do anything like that to hurt you, not after I came that close to losing you. Bo, you're back. I just want you to be happy."

Bo grabbed Luke in a hug, which Luke returned. "I love you, Luke. Thanks."

"I love you, too. Now, make the most of the time you've got."

"Oh I will," he assured him. "I've gotten very good at that," and he felt Luke shudder at his last comment, knowing that he'd went through hell right along with him.

* * *

Sandy hadn't been so excited since before her mom had left them a little over a year ago. She'd been so caught up in the ranch that she'd left no time for herself. In a way, it was better that way, less time to think about all that was gone. Her mom's passing had been a lot more than losing a parent. With both her mama and daddy gone, it meant that their children, the three boys and Sandy, were now first generation Mavericks, and that came with its own set of responsibilities. It was like losing her anchors in life, the line to her past, and with it much of the carefree life she had always enjoyed. It meant giving up her own career, only recently going back into the field, but in a limited capacity. Most of all, it meant losing Bo.

Luke's call had been just what she needed. She was entitled to a vacation, and she was rather surprised that her brother, Tommy, told her he thought it was a good idea. While Sandy's life had become less care-free in the last twelve months, in some ways her brothers' had become more so. All of them had changed, but it seemed that the Maverick boys had changed for the better. She believed that they had carried the burden of making their parents proud while they'd been alive. Certain standards were expected from them, where as Sandy, being a girl, didn't have as many. She was expected to be flighty and free, and right that minute, that's exactly how she felt, tearing up the southern roads heading for a place she thought of as home.

As thrilled as she was to be back in Georgia, she cautioned herself not to jump to conclusions. Almost four hundred days had passed since she'd last seen any of the Dukes, and a lot could have happened in that much time; all she had to do was look at herself to confirm that theory. She reminded herself that in those months, Bo had never called. In fact, he hadn't been the one who called to invite her back, either; Luke had. The oldest Duke boy told her that they thought of her as family, meaning the entire family, but he had never mentioned anything specifically about Bo. The invitation may simply have been their way of thanking her for what she had done. Assuming that Bo still felt the same way he had a year ago was dangerous. As far as she knew, he might be with someone else. Heck, he might even be married. Just because she loved him didn't mean that he still loved her. She had to remember that she was there to see all of the Dukes not just the blonde. The voice in the back of her head suddenly reappeared, having been absent for the last twelve months. It was laughing at her, saying that she wasn't fooling anyone, including herself. She wasn't even in Hazzard, yet, and Bo Duke was already taking control of her body and her mind.

When she pulled up the drive, she saw Daisy first. The Duke beauty was beating an old rug, and was engulfed in a dust cloud. Sandy laughed at the girl's surprised expression, first from the dust then from seeing her. Throwing down her torture device, Daisy ran out to meet her.

"Oh honey, it's so good to see you. Everyone's so excited that you were able to come," Daisy told her, hugging her.

"I've been like a little kid waiting for Christmas ever since Luke invited me," she confessed. "I've really missed all of you."

"We've missed you, too, missy," a voice said from behind her. Letting go of Daisy, she found Uncle Jesse and Luke standing there.

"Uncle Jesse, how the heck are you?" she asked.

"Just fine, sweetheart. How are you?"

"I'm ok," she said, losing a little of the booming enthusiasm that her voice usually held. She then turned to Luke. Without saying a word, she grabbed him with a force that surprised even her. "I can't tell you how much your invitation meant to me."

"Well, we can't tell you how much you're accepting it meant to us. We've missed you, all of us," Luke said, hugging her back with as much force as she was squeezing him with.

"How's your family?" Uncle Jesse asked.

"They're doing pretty good," Sandy told him. "My oldest brother, Tommy," she said and smiled, amused that he had gone back to using the name he'd had as a child instead of the more sophisticated variation he'd adopted in the business world, "he moved back with his family a few months ago. Me and him run the ranch now. Bobby's still in Houston, and Timmy's still in Dallas, but they come home for the weekends a lot now. I think Bobby might be getting married, but all in all, we're all ok."

"So, you been anywhere exciting lately? Had any rich or famous patients?" Daisy asked, still intrigued by the girls' adventures.

"No, I can't travel anymore. Actually, I just went back to work a couple of months ago, but now I only work with patients that are within driving distance to the ranch."

The Dukes looked at each other, hearing the disappointment in her voice, knowing how much she loved her job.

"Don't you miss it?" Daisy asked.

"Yeah, I do, but the Good Lord gave me other things to do right now. I especially miss the patients. Speaking of which, how's Bo?"

She didn't realize that while she'd been talking, her ex-patient had snuck up behind her. Leaning down so that his mouth was next to her ear, he said, "I'm doing great, darlin."

At the same time, Luke pointed to his cousin and told her to see for herself.

Sandy whirled around to find Bo Duke standing directly in front of her. She couldn't believe what she saw. He was completely recovered, at least so it looked from the outside. She'd known he was good looking when she was working with him, but this creature was the most handsome man she'd ever seen in her life. She'd forgot how much she missed that million dollar smile, and the way his eyes danced. "Wow! You look great! You really are...tall," she obeserved, realizing that she was seeing him for the first time at full height. Before, he'd either been sitting down or leaning on something which kept him from achieving his full 6'3" altitude.

"And you are just as pretty as ever," he told her.

"I've missed that smile, Bo."

"I've missed you, Sandy." Suddenly remembering something, he exclaimed, "Oh! Here, these are for you," as his hand came from behind his back to reveal a dozen long stemmed roses.

"They're beautiful."

"Just like you."

"Bo, you didn't have to do this," she told him, remembering that finances were tight the last time she'd been there. She hated to tell him that he could have saved his money. Since that day at the pond when he'd slipped a flower in her hair, the Camellia had replaced roses as her favorite.

"Hey!" he said, changing the subject. "You know, I was the patient! Don't I get a hug?"

"Of course," she said, stepping into his outstretched arms which closed around her as soon as she entered. Sandy breathed in his wonderful scent, leaning into the strong chest. Bo stroked her hair, seriously contemplating never letting her go.


	17. Chapter 17

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 17

LYING HEARTS

Uncle Jesse knew that all of the kids were excited about Sandy's visit, the youngest of his clan just had more at stake. Thinking of his baby, he smiled. God had given Bo back to them. Now, he hoped that Sandy could make him happy, remembering how much his beloved Lavinia had made him. He wanted that for all his kids, but none of them had found that special person, until now. Bo and Sandy had a lot of things to work out between them. It would have been much easier if she didn't live several hundreds of miles away, but she did. They only had a few days, so there wasn't much time to spare. Monday, the chores would still be there; Sandy might not.

"Git out of here," he told them, pretending to grumble.

The first thing Bo wanted to show Sandy was the General Lee, and just how he could drive it.

"Oh you're well all right, if you can climb in and out of a window like that every time you need to get in and out," she said, not understanding why anyone would want to do that to a vehicle.

Her words were a little racier when he jumped Dry Creek, reminding him that if he hurt himself, she could not come back again as a therapist. The Dukes assured her that jumping the General was safe, guns were their nemesis.

It wasn't surprising that they ended up at the pond. There wasn't really anything going on in town until the next day, and this had been a place they'd always enjoyed. Daisy had their lunch all ready, and the guitars were packed away as well as the blankets. The guys had even brought swim trunks, though Bo really thought skinny dipping was a better idea.

"Not on your life, country boy!" Sandy snapped.

"What? You guys don't do that in Texas?" he asked, thinking that it was more a rural thing than a geographical one.

"No!" she snorted. "We have clothes in Texas!" she said, diving head first into the water.

Bo shrugged, diving after her, and soon they were all splashing around like little kids.

Later, Sandy was laying out on a towel, drying off when Bo plopped himself down beside her.

"You're dripping on me," she told him.

Leaning over her so that there faces were only inches apart, he shook his head so that the droplets from his hair would land on her. "Didn't think you'd mind," he told her.

She was going to make a wise crack, but she looked into his eyes and something stopped her. "I don't," she admitted.

Bo closed the gap between them, finding her lips and tasting them. Had they been alone, there's no telling what would have happened, but Daisy and Luke were just a few feet away.

"You know, before you left you said that I might have formed a dependency on you. You were right about that darlin," he stated, and her eyebrows shot up. "I am addicted to you, so I guess that means I have a dependency," he told her before he kissed her again.

"Oh Bo," she sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck, no longer plagued by doubts or voices.

* * *

That night the Duke cousins finally got to show her what a Boar's Nest was. She thought the place was quaint, but still couldn't quite find the words to describe her impressions regarding a Boss Hogg. Cooter and Enos joined them, complimenting her on a job well done with Bo, and welcoming her again to Hazzard; this time as a guest. They hadn't been there too long before several of the local fellas started showing a lot of interest in the Texas Twister. Many of them didn't know her personally, but they knew of her. She'd been Bo's therapist, but there hadn't been any rumors of a romance. Seeing her sitting with the Duke boys didn't mean she was off limits. If that were the case, there wouldn't have been a woman within a fifty mile radius available for anyone else in Hazzard. In less than an hour, Sandy had received more drinks and invitations to dance than she had in the past few years. She'd even received one proposal of marriage, but not from a Duke. Bo was starting to regret bringing her there, but Sandy took care of all potential suitors, politely telling them no. There was only one beau she was interested in. Becoming secure in the knowledge that she was with him, Bo started up the juke box. The dance of the day was the Texas Two-step.

By the time they got home, it was late, but Bo suggested that they sit on the swing for a while. It wasn't that he couldn't have thought of better things to do, but he didn't want to push her. They were really just getting acquainted again after a twelve month intermission. Though their feelings had crossed the line a long time ago, the last time they saw each other they were still therapist and patient. A totally personal relationship was something that they hadn't shared before; it was brand new. No map had been plotted, and they hadn't really even talked.

Sitting down, Bo slid his arm around her. "I missed you so much, Sandy."

"I missed you, too. I can't tell you how many times I picked up the phone."

"Me too," he confessed. "Why didn't you call?"

"I don't know. Why didn't you?" she asked.

"I guess I was too afraid to find out that you didn't even remember me," Bo confided.

"You are not easily forgotten Bo Duke."

"Nor are you. Are you happy Sandy?" he asked her.

"I'm very happy to be back in Hazzard," she told him.

"No, I mean, I'm glad that you're happy to be here. I'm happy you're here, too," he told her, raising her hand to his lips. "What I meant was have you been happy since you left?"

"I've been busy," she replied.

"Sandy!"

"No, I haven't been all that happy."

"You miss your job?"

"Yeah, I do," she whispered, "and I missed you and your family. Guess I got a little bit too personally involved in this case," she chuckled.

"You still think this is a therapist-patient kind of love, cause I do love you Sandy Maverick."

"No," she confirmed, shaking her head. "And I love you."

Bo took her face in his hands and kissed her passionately, not sure what his next move should be. He wanted more, but didn't know what she wanted. The circumstances weren't exactly ideal. He couldn't take her back to his room, Luke was there; and she couldn't take him back to hers because she was sharing Daisy's. It didn't matter anyway, Uncle Jesse would have never allowed it. He thought about taking her to the barn, but didn't want to let her go long enough to walk there, and he wasn't positive how she'd react anyway. For the moment, it seemed that what they were sharing was going to have to be enough. Bo reminded himself that it was more than he'd had just twenty-four hours ago. Although it wasn't exactly what he'd dreamt about, eventually they fell asleep on the swing, in each other's arms.

* * *

Saturdays were the big day with all the main events taking place. Every year Uncle Jesse entered and won, the barbeque cook-off contest. Since he was the only one entered in anything that year, they decided to start at that booth.

"They should have a chili cook-off," Sandy informed them. "My mama's recipe wins every year back home."

"I bet I can talk the Homecoming Committee into that, but you'd have to promise to be here to win. They got rid of it years ago because every year, the judges got sick on J.D's," Uncle Jesse joked.

"You got it!" Sandy stated, sticking out her hand for an official commitment. The old man couldn't help but grin when he saw the smile spread across his youngest nephew's face. He'd just gotten her to agree to a return visit without even realizing it.

Leaving Jesse behind, they strolled leisurely through the square, Sandy quickly discovered that Bo couldn't pass a concession stand without stopping. Passing on the corn dogs, she accepted his offer of a sno cone.

"Grape?" he asked, trying to guess.

"Cherry!" she told him. "Wonder what they're doing down there," she said, pointing as Bo handed her one paper cone filled with ice chips and flavoring.

"That's the rattlesnake catch," Bo told her, forgetting that he shouldn't speak with his mouth full.

"Yuk!" she replied.

"Bo wins that every year," Luke added.

"You're joking?" she asked, looking at Bo in a whole new light. Seeing him shake his head, she wondered exactly what else she didn't know about one Beauregard Duke.

"What's the big deal?" he wanted to know, thinking that anyone growing up on a ranch should be used to all sorts of varmits.

"I hate snakes!" she shuddered.

"Aw, c'mon, they're not the bad," he told her, trying to imitate the sound a rattler makes.

"Yes, they are. The only good snake is a dead one," she stated, hoping that someone would change the subject.

* * *

The main event for the afternoon was a Derby race. Some people returned for the Homecoming to see family. A few returned just for that competition. It was one of the biggest events of the year, and this was being touted as one of the biggest ever.

Sandy had been told that the General Lee was the fastest car in Hazzard, maybe in the state of Georgia, and that Bo was the best driver. They'd only lost one race that they'd ever entered, but had never been defeated in the Homecoming Derby. The only blemish on that record was from the year before, when they hadn't entered. Bo hadn't been able to drive, and no matter how much he tried to push Luke into driving without him, his cousin refused. He told Bo that until the day came when he was back behind the wheel, his own racing days were over. They were a team, and if they ever drove again, it would be together. This was the event they'd been waiting for. It was their first race since before the shooting, marking the return of the famous Duke boys.

When the General Lee crossed the finish line first, things in Hazzard finally felt normal. Bo and Luke had always been the crowd's favorite, but this year, it almost seemed imperative that they win. Climbing out of the windows, the crowd converged on them. Everyone wanted to offer their congratulations. Their family and closest friends had a difficult time reaching them, and they couldn't even get to each other. Luke finally gave up and used the hood of the Charger to get to his cousin. Looking at each other, they shared a fierce embrace. It really was over.

As the boys were presented with the trophy and the prize money, Bo found his feelings mixed. Now, he had his life back, and that felt great, but for the first time, winning a race wasn't his entire world. He had lots of trophies and there'd been better monetary rewards. The prize he wanted this weekend didn't have anything to do with cars, but in a way, there were some similarities. Tornadoes were measured by speed and velocity, and Bo considered himself to now be a storm chaser. There was one in particular he aimed to catch, a Texas Twister.

* * *

For all the fun they'd had that day, what they were really looking forward to was the concert and dance. Somehow, Hazzard always managed to attract big name entertainment, and that night was no exception. As an added bonus, Sandy's friends were back in town, opening for the headliner again. The people of Hazzard remembered how good they were the previous year, and were just as excited to see them as the recording stars. Many of the residents remembered Sandy and assumed she was back in town with the band. She tried to explain that she wasn't there to perform, but gave up. "If they're waiting on me, they're gonna be waiting a long, long time," she said.

"Hey, you gonna play with us tonight?" Tracey asked her when they finally found him.

"No! And don't you pull that come on up here crap neither," she told him. "I came to see you guys."

"Ah shoot, darlin, you been listening to us most of your whole life."

"And you been listening to me, so ain't no reason for you to be calling me up there, got it? Besides, I want to spend my time enjoying the music with Bo," she said, smiling sweetly at the man who still had his arm around her.

"Boy! You done bit her like a rattlesnake!" Tracey told him, much to Bo's delight.

"What is it with the rattlesnakes, today?" she asked. "Well, we're gonna go get a seat. You guys break a leg."

"Ten four," Tracey told her, giving her a mock salute.

"Over and out," she shouted back to him.

Sitting in the bleachers, Sandy was exactly where she wanted to be, enjoying the show with Bo and the rest of the town. About half way through, Tracey grabbed the microphone and looked in her direction. She shot him a dirty look.

"Sandy! Now I know you told me not to pester you into coming up here, and I wouldn't dream of going against your wishes," he said.

"Uh-huh," she muttered, wondering what the catch was.

"But I got someone here that might be able to change your mind," he told her, pretending to shoot a gun toward her. Turning to the side of the stage, he motioned with his hand. "Get on out here, boy."

A very good looking cowboy stepped onto the stage from the side. Sandy's hands flew to her face. "Timmy," she said, her eyes filling with tears, as the two friends on stage hugged each other. In a strange twist of fate, the first song that the two did together was one of Bo and Luke's favorites, and a tune that Sandy had played with them many times. When they were done, Tracey moved away.

Tim walked to the center, calling to his sister. "Sandy, get up here," he told her, and she didn't even hesitate. She flew out of her seat so fast that the people around her thought a cyclone had touched down, making it on stage in one hop that almost knocked her brother over. The Duke family looked on, knowing what it felt like to love someone as much as she loved him. They wondered what kind of relationship she had with the other two brothers, cause this one was pretty special.

The guys obviously liked doing duets with Sandy, because just like Tracey had done the year before, she and her brother were about to perform one again. Tim had written it, the way he wrote many of the songs that the band did, but they didn't get to indulge in male-female lyrices too often since they didn't have a female lead singer. They'd never really looked for one, always leaving the spot open for Sandy should she someday want it. Every day that passed, the odds of that happening seemed to be dwindling, so now they could only get their songs in when she was around, and that was usually at home when they were just goofing off. The song was called Lying Hearts,' and it was even a more powerful performance than the one she and Tracey sang. Bo closed his eyes, thinking that the words just about summed up his own feelings.

When it was over, it took a moment for the audience to even respond, they were so touched. While their efforts were applauded, Timmy hugged his sister again as a few stray tears rolled down her cheek. Then Tracey joined them, Sandy picked up a guitar, and the three of them rocked the house down.

Timmy got to close their show with a solo number that once again, he'd written himself, but Sandy didn't even know about this one. He'd penned it quite a while back, but never shared it with her, wanting to find the perfect opportunity. She'd been the catalyst in encouraging him to go for his dreams and to follow his heart. He doubted there'd ever be a better time to thank her. Being able to tell it would be a slow song, Sandy laid her head on Bo's shoulder, and wrapped her arms around his waist, listening to her brother's latest. She wasn't the only one that was surprised when he got to the chorus and started singing about his little Texas twister.

"I love you sis'," he announced to the entire audience when the music stopped.

* * *

As the evening ended, Bo's mind was on overload. The last two days had been wonderful, and they had one more to look forward to, but they hadn't resolved anything. He couldn't help but wonder about Monday morning. What would happen then? She loved him, but was she gonna get in the car and go back to Texas? Then what? She comes back every year for the Homecoming? Bo didn't think that sounded very promising, but he didn't exactly have a solution to it either. He told himself he better think of one, fast. He only had a little over twenty-four hours.

When they got back to the farm, Bo told Sandy that he had some place he wanted to show her, one of his favorite places. She watched him scramble up the ladder, thinking back to twelve months ago when the mere thought of that move seemed virtually impossible. She followed him up, and he extended his hand pulling her over the top.

At first, there seemed to be a little tension between them, but Bo suddenly turned his attention upward. There was a hole in the roof through which you could see the stars.

"I like to come here and look at the stars," he admitted a little sheepishly, pointing to the heavens. "So many times I've wondered if somewhere in Texas you weren't doing the same."

"Like having your very own planetarium?" she joked. He nodded, but didn't laugh. "I'm sorry Bo. It's wonderful up here, and yeah, I was looking at the stars thinking about you, too."

"I love you, Sandy," he told her, crushing her to him as he kissed her. This kiss, however, didn't end as the others. It went on forever, and their lips weren't the only things that were busy. A long time later, they laid in each other's arms, feeling something that neither of them had ever felt before.

"I love you," he whispered again.

"I love you, too."

Suddenly, Bo knew exactly what to do. "Marry me," he said, rather than asked.

"What?"

"Marry me. Make me the happiest man on the face of this earth."

"Bo, don't you think this is a little sudden? You know, when it comes right down to it, we don't even know each other that well."

"I know all I need to know," he said, and when she started to reply he laid his finger over her lips. "Last year, you told me I was confusing love with gratitude or dependency. I assured you I wasn't and I was right, the same way that I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you now. Shoot darlin', you've already seen me at my absolute worst and you still love me. I promise you that things can only get better from that."

Sandy couldn't help but smile at that analogy.

Bo pushed himself up so that he was looking down at her. "Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Then marry me. I know this isn't the way it's usually done, and this ain't exactly the most romantic way to propose. Shoot, I don't even have a ring." He paused, running his fingers through his hair, "but I wasn't planning on this happening when I brought you up here." When she gave him a sly look, he defended himself, "I wasn't, I swear. I've been thinking about Monday morning, and I can't just let you get in that car and drive off, not knowing if I'll ever see you again, or knowing that it'll be for a couple days here and a couple days there. The only time that things feel really right is when you're with me. I know that should have clued me in a little sooner, but it didn't. I told you, I do my best thinking up here."

"That's not all you're good at up here, darlin," she said, and Bo blushed.

"I'm being serious, pouring my heart out, and you're making jokes!" he said indignantly.

"I'm sorry. Sometimes, that's just the way I handle things. It's beautiful, and romantic, not to mention you look sexy as hell," she told him.

Bo grinned, then turned serious again. "This may be sudden, but I know that it's right. Now, I can't offer you much, at least right now. All you gotta do is look around to see that we don't have a lot of worldly things, but I can give you more love than you'll ever know, and I will do my very best to provide a good life for you."

"Bo, you're family are the richest people I've ever met. Money's not what makes a person rich, love is. Besides, when people love each other and get married, they work together to provide a good life."

"Then if we love each other, we're already rich, so marry me and make it permanent and legal."

Pushing herself up, she was now looking down at him. Taking his face in between both her hands, she bent down and kissed him hard and long. When they broke apart, she looked into his eyes. She saw more love there than she had ever seen in her life, and she knew that he was right, they were right. "Yes," she said.

It took a minute to sink in, but when it did, he rolled her over and showed her again just how much he loved her.

* * *

The newly engaged couple snuck in the house right before everyone was supposed to be getting up. Bo was a little nervous that Uncle Jesse wouldn't take too kindly to them spending the night together, even if it was in the barn, but he didn't say anything. When they were dressed, they headed off to town. They were meeting her brother and his friends at the Pancake Brunch after church, planning on sharing their news then.

When Bo and Sandy's family and friends were finishing their flapjacks, Bo told them that they had an announcement to make. Sandy went to stand next to him, and he wrapped his arm around her waist. "We're getting married!" he yelled, and everyone else eating pancakes heard it, too. Congratulations spread like wildfire. The residents of Hazzard were surprised. Someone had finally caught one of the ellusive Duke boys, but they hadn't even heard that he'd been serious about anyone. For as sudden as it was, the people closest to the couple didn't seem to be shocked at all.

Tim Maverick couldn't have been happier for his sister. He'd found his dream, and she'd found hers. He wished he could stay longer, but they had to be on their way. Pulling her away from the crowd that was bombarding them, he took her hand. "Walk with me for a minute, sis."

Strolling away from the local mob, he looked down at her. "I don't even have to ask if you're happy. I can see it all over you."

"Yeah, I sure am," she said, beaming.

"So, what's the game plan?"

"I don't know that there is one yet, except that I'm still going back to Texas tomorrow." She saw the look that her brother gave her, and quickly clarified what she meant. "Bo's going, too. I want to show him the ranch, and I've got things I've got to get, and..."

"And you need to tell Tommy," he finished for her, understanding why she was so nervous. He'd been scared to death when he told him that he'd quit his day job, too.

"Yeah, and Bobby! Ya know, there might be a double wedding," Sandy reminded him. "I don't know, I just gotta go back, say goodbye to the kids and Louisa, but I gotta admit, I don't know how Tommy's gonna react. I feel guilty leaving him with the everything."

"Tommy can hire as much help as he needs, or we can sell it."

"Oh that would go over real big."

"Sandy, the Southern Comfort is a big part of our past, but it can't continue to dictate our futures. Bobby followed his dream years ago. It's time that we all did. Someone once told me that we can't live our lives in order to please old ghosts." Tommy smiled as he used his sister's own words. "Besides, I don't think that Tommy's gonna be as upset as you think. Last time I saw him, he looked happier than he had in years. I think he forgot how much he used to love that ranch."

"I hope you're right."

"I take it Bo's not interested in living in Texas?" Tim asked her.

"Don't know. I didn't ask him. I love Hazzard, and I love his family. I guess I'm the one that wants to live here."

"As long as your happy, you got my blessing," he told her, wrapping his arms around her. "Love ya."

"I love you, too."

They were interrupted by someone clearing their voice. "Look you two, I hate to break this up, but we really gotta get going," Tracey announced.

Sandy kissed her brother goodbye, then each of her other friends. They shook hands with Bo, who had come in search of his fiancee. They were standing in front of the closed Hardware store, and the rest of the Dukes were crossing the street. Someone called Sandy's name from behind.

She and Bo turned to see who it was. A loud noise and a small puff of smoke filled the air. Sandy stumbled backwards, but Bo grabbed onto her, preventing her from falling down hard. Instead, he gently eased her to the ground, cradling her in his arms. She looked up at him with an expression of surprise.

Pandemonium broke out in Hazzard Square.

Luke reached Billy Ray first, flattening him and knocking the gun out of his hand. Hearing the shot, Rosco and Enos came running. A few other local boys helped Luke contain the man until their local law enforcement officials could reach them and take him into custody.

Jesse and Daisy ran to Bo and Sandy, and after the culprit was in Rosco's possession, Luke joined them. He kneeled next to his cousin, trying to help in any way he could.

Tim and his friends turned to see what was going on. They took off in full stride, and Tim Maverick slid to his knees.

"Sandy," Bo cried. "You just hang on, help is on the way. I love you."

"Sandy, you do what Bo's telling you now. I love you, too," her brother added.


	18. Chapter 18

POT SHOTS

CHAPTER 18

TORNADO WARNING!

Bo couldn't remember a day when the weather had ever been stranger. It started out like any other day, except hotter and more muggy than one would expect at that time of year. The sun had been almost blinding from the minute that it rose, only increasing the temperature and the dew point with every passing minute. By nine o'clock, it was well into the nineties with a hundred percent humidity, and it was one of the most miserable days of his life.

Then, out of nowhere, the sky had clouded up and rain began to pour. It only lasted a few minutes, but it was enough to get everything wet and make it even more sticky, if that was possible. Thinking that the rain was going to last, it was unbelievable when ten minutes later the sky was blue and the sun was glaring again. Most of the late morning hours had been spent going from pouring rain to blazing sunlight, as if nature's forces were waging their own war. As morning turned into afternoon, the rain and clouds won the battle. Now, as evening approached, it was sunny again, but not as hot and definitely not as humid. It was the strangest weather he could ever remember.

He turned away from the window, thinking that the atmospheric conditions fit the day so perfectly.

"I wonder if the weather is always like this in Texas," he mumbled, speaking to no one but himself. If it was, he couldn't understand what the fascination was with the state. In Hazzard, it was much more predictable. Bo looked at the clock, thinking that the Duke family would be sitting down to dinner, if he'd been in Georgia. He wasn't home, though, he was at the Maverick ranch in Texas; Sandy's home. She'd invited him to go back with her to get her things and tell her family that they were getting married. Now, here he was.

It had been a long day, and he was tired. Bo sat down on the little sofa, put his head back, and closed his eyes while the VCR in his head started automatically.

* * *

_"Sandy! You hang on now. You hear me? Help is on the way. You're gonna be ok," Bo told her, looking down into the beautiful face which now showed a mixture of fear and pain. Bo was still cradling her in his arms, and her brother was holding her hand. Luke was trying to stop the bleeding. No one wanted to admit to themselves that it didn't seem to be doing one iota of good. The red stain was expanding with each passing second, and all they were doing was causing her pain. Yet, they had to keep trying, keep hoping, keep pretending that it was helping._

_"Bo," she finally said, looking up at him with emerald eyes that were crystal clear._

_"I'm right here," he told her, "right here."_

_Though still clear, Sandy's eyes started to close. Bo and Timmy told her to stay awake. She opened them, obeying their command, but with every passing second, they could see it was getting harder for her to comply. Yet, her eyes were still clear and she was still lucid, which was a good sign._

_"Bo," she repeated._

_"Help's almost here, darlin. You're doing real good. You just keep fighting," Bo told the Texas Twister, praying that she had that much fight in her. Sandy's eyes drifted downward again. "Sandy, stay awake!" he echoed, more forcefully than before. Again, she opened her eyes, and Bo bent down and kissed her. Immediately, his senses caught the metallic taste of blood. When he raised up, she smiled at him, raising her hand to his face as a thin stream of red started running out of the side of her mouth. Bo prayed that the ambulance was close._

_Sandy turned her head to see her brother. "Timmy, I love you."_

_He squeezed her hand and brought it to his lips. "I love you, too, but don't try to talk, okay?"_

_Ignoring what he told her, she turned again to look at Bo, and this time, her eyes weren't so clear. They had clouded over and taken on a far away look, like she was lost in a fog. Trying to push the haze away, she again raised her hand to touch Bo's face. "I love you, Bo. I'm sorry."_

_"You have nothing to be sorry for," he cried._

_"Look at the stars, Bo," she said softly. Bo and Timmy glanced to each other. Her words frightened them, leaving them to wonder what she was seeing. There were no stars in the sky, it was broad daylight. Sandy took a ragged breath. "I'll be looking at them, too," she whispered, as her eyes fluttered shut._

_"Sandy, I love you. Stay with me!" Bo shouted, hearing the ambulance approaching._

_No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get her to open them again. A few seconds later, Sandy went limp in Bo's arms and her brother's hand. "No!" they both cried, as the paramedics ripped her away from the blonde._

_The EMTs didn't wait for anything. They just put her on the gurney and loaded her in the vehicle, saying that no one could go with her. As they closed the doors, Bo saw them gallantly trying to resuscitate her with CPR, but he knew she was gone._

_Luke put his arm around his cousin to keep him from falling over, and Tracey did the same for Timmy. Everyone else seemed to be in a hurry to get to the hospital. Bo knew there was no reason to speed. She was gone._

_Their mad dash to Tri-County General only left them sitting in a waiting room. It wasn't a long wait. A doctor came out and told them what Bo already knew. She was gone._

_Jesse and Luke were doing their best to console an eerily calm Bo. Tracey asked Daisy to look after a grief-stricken Tim while he went to use the phone. The oldest of the Maverick boys was the best qualified to know what to do, and Tim was in no shape to do anything. He couldn't stop crying, no matter how hard he tried. Bo, on the other hand, couldn't cry, no matter how hard he did try._

_The Maverick family friend returned a little while later, informing everyone that Tommy Maverick was going to take care of all the arrangements. He would fly his sister home. Timmy and Tracey would fly back with her. Tracey would have to take care of the Maverick Siblings until he could return them to their brothers. The Dukes would have to take care of Bo._

* * *

_The next morning, the Dukes left for the Lone Star state. Uncle Jesse rode with Daisy in Sandy's Camaro, following Luke and Bo in the General Lee. Bo didn't want to drive, he didn't want to go. He didn't want to eat, and he'd barely said two words. He didn't want to do anything. He didn't even want to cry. He was afraid that if he broke down, he'd never recover. He didn't have his therapist anymore to help him do so._

_It was late evening when they arrived at the Southern Comfort. Under different circumstances, and in the light of day, they would have been quite impressed by its enormous size, but acreage counts were the furthest thing from anyone's mind._

_Sandy's three brothers were waiting for them in the large main room that they were shown to by the woman called Louisa. Timmy they knew. He looked awful. It looked like he'd been crying since the minute that it happened, and fresh tears were still rolling down his cheeks._

_Thomas Maverick stepped forward to introduce himself and his brother, Bob. He welcomed them to the Southern Comfort, then asked if they had a safe drive. Daisy took that as her cue, handing their host the keys to his sister's beloved automobile. He thanked them for bringing it back, clutching the keys in his fist. A small woman with short black hair joined them, followed by two children. After introducing the Dukes to his wife and kids, Tommy asked them if they'd like something to drink, and if they had eaten. Uncle Jesse thanked him for the offer, saying that they'd stopped for dinner, but accepted the invitation for a beverage. The Maverick patriarch walked over to a well stocked bar in the corner, asking what they'd like. The Duke patriarch, speaking for his entire family, stated that coffee or water would be fine. Sandy's two oldest brothers looked like they had already helped themselves to a little of the spirits, but it didn't seem to be helping. The Dukes had already tried that remedy, partaking in a little shot of hidden moonshine the night before. It hadn't helped them, either._

_Tommy Maverick was the shortest of the three boys, and also the most worn. His features were more rugged, and he was a little on the stocky side, but he fit the part of the true Texas cowboy. Despite his years in the business world, he looked like he belonged running a ranch. He was dressed in jeans and tucked in denim shirt, though they wore no hats in the house. All of the Dukes had a hard time trying to imagine him in a business suit._

_Bobby looked the most like Sandy. Not quite as tall as Timmy, he was more on the lean side. He had red hair, though not auburn like his sister's. It was more a fire engine red, and they weren't surprised to learn that his nickname was 'red.' The hardest thing to look at was his eyes. They were almost identical to Sandy's in shape and color, and if Bo had really wanted to, he could have convinced himself that he was looking into hers. With slightly different coloring, Bobby had the freckles that Sandy had been spared._

_The boys were about as different as night and day, just as Sandy had said their personalities were, too. Yet, they shared one thing in common, their grief. Timmy's was the most visible, but it was clear that they were all mourning._

* * *

_Bo didn't remember much about the day after they arrived in Texas; it went by in a blur. The house had an endless stream of people, starting early in the morning. He couldn't have possibly remembered everyone he'd been introduced to because there were just too many. However, many of them knew him, or at least knew about him. In every introduction, he was presented as Sandy's fiancée. Some folks were surprised, others weren't. Quite a few of them even knew Bo was from Georgia, and some knew that he'd been a patient. Sandy must have told the residents of Maverick a lot more about Bo than Bo had told the residents of Hazzard._

_The shell-shocked fiancée went through the motions, going where he was told, sitting where he was told, speaking when spoken to, but his mind had shut down. His emotions had, too. He still hadn't really cried yet, and Bo was known to weep more than Daisy at times. His family was worried about him, knowing that the longer he kept it inside, the harder it would be. Luke shadowed him, afraid to let him out of his sight. It was clear that Bo wasn't thinking straight, and they feared he might do something harmful due to his lack of judgment._

_Luke hadn't taken his eyes off Bo since they'd left Tri-County Hospital, at least he thought he hadn't. He turned around for just a split second to answer someone's question, and when he turned back around, he couldn't believe it. He'd managed to loose Bo. Pushing through the guests, he didn't know where to start looking. They were, after all, in a strange house in a state they were unfamiliar with._

* * *

_Bo felt like a zombie. When he had first woken from his drug induced coma, he'd been unable to move, but his mind worked perfectly. Thanks to Sandy, his body had since learned to function properly, too. Now, his body worked, but his mind didn't._

_He didn't purposely slip away from Luke and the others. It wasn't a conscious decision, his brain hadn't made one of those since Sandy had died in his arms. No one had told him where to go next so his feet decided for him. He found himself on the second floor of the Maverick home. His feet must have been looking for his room, but the door he was standing in front of wasn't his. It wasn't a room that any of the Dukes had been placed in. He'd never been it, had never seen what was behind that door, but somehow he knew._

_Without instructing it to, his hand turned the knob and his feet moved forward. His hand closed the door behind him. Bo Duke found himself standing in the middle of Sandy Maverick's bedroom._

_Bo's eyes darted around, noting that the room was still decorated for a younger girl. The decor was somewhere between the childhood and teenage years, for some reason, never being updated. Painted in a pale pink, the lace curtains and bedspread were dotted with pink and purple flowers. With its white furniture, it was all very soft. It didn't look like something that would appeal to a Texas Twister. Sandy, the woman, was strong and competent, but that room belonged to a little girl. She had told Bo that there was a lot they didn't know about each other. This was one side of her he'd never thought about, and thanks to Billy Ray, he'd never get the chance to discover._

_He tried to imagine a younger Sandy, but he didn't have to try very hard. Pictures scattered throughout the room told a little of the story of her life. Photos of the girl at various ages, with different people lined the desk and dresser. Bo saw her with her parents, brothers, friends, and patients. He paused to look at each one._

_On one wall, an expensive frame displayed her degree from Duke University. Underneath it were various licenses and professional certificates. On the opposite wall were several hand drawn pictures. Each one of the drawings were of two girls: one was older with long auburn hair, the other was very young with long blonde hair. In one picture, the little girl was in a bed. In another, she was in a wheelchair. The one in the middle showed her upright, standing on her own feet, holding the hand of the taller, red-headed girl. Bo didn't need to read the inscriptions to know who they were from; they were all addressed to Sandy, and signed with an 'I Love You' from Holly._

_Bo closed his eyes, replaying the night on the swing when she had told him about her first patient, the one that didn't make it. He could see the pain in her emerald eyes, hear the sorrow in her voice, taste the salt from her tears, and feel her in his arms. It overwhelmed him, but still the tears wouldn't come._

_Believing that his legs could no longer support him, he staggered to the bed. As he forced his eyelids up, his pupils were drawn to another frame, the only one in the room he hadn't seen yet. It was by itself, separated from all the others on a table next to the bed. He understood the significance. It was the first thing she saw every morning when she woke, and the last thing she saw at night before she closed her eyes._

_He reached over and picked it up, his fingers running along the outer rim. It wasn't a photo that was protected behind the glass, it was an item; one that Bo recognized. Pressed and preserved was the Camellia that he had slipped behind her ear the day at the pond when he first told her that he loved her; when she first told him that she loved him, too. He knew that it was the flower that he had snapped off its twig because of the unique coloring on the tips. He also knew it was the one he gave her because in the corner of the frame, on the outside of the glass, was a photo of the two of them together. Bo slipped it out of its holding place. It wasn't that old, but it was already worn, appearing to have been handled and touched, a lot._

_Sliding the photo back into place, he clutched the frame to his chest. Though his mind was filled with hundreds of images, he only had a few photographs of his own, and like hers, the few he had were wrinkled. He kept one by his bed and one in his wallet. There just hadn't been enough time to fill an album. Their photographs were in his memory, and if something ever happened to that, he'd lose the little of her that he had left._

_Still holding the frame tightly, he laid down on her bed, curling into the fetal position. Breathing deeply, he could smell her scent as he drifted off._

* * *

_An hour later, Luke couldn't keep it from his family or the Mavericks any longer. He had to let them know that Bo had disappeared. Room by room they started searching, inside the house and out. Luke almost collapsed when he opened the door and found Bo curled up and asleep on a bed. He didn't know how he'd done it, but somehow, Bo had managed to find Sandy's room. Clutched in his arms was something that the older cousin couldn't make out. Luke promised to sit with him while he slept, taking up guard from a wicker chair in the corner._

* * *

_Luke Duke hadn't meant to fall asleep, but he was tired. Watching Bo every minute of the past seventy-two hours had been a twenty-four hour job since Bo didn't sleep anymore. It was just one more thing he didn't do, and except for those couple hours on Sandy's bed, Luke doubted that his cousin had closed his eyes at all. As soon as the darkness fell across the sky, Bo could be found looking up at the heavens. The night before they left for Texas, Bo sat on the porch swing all night. The two nights they'd been at the Southern Comfort, Bo had stood at the window. Luke assumed that it had something to do with Sandy's instructions to look at the stars, but he hadn't fully understood what it meant, and it was too soon to ask Bo._

_The sun was already rising, so Bo wasn't looking to the night sky anymore. He was sitting on the couch gazing at nothing. Luke cursed himself for being so weak when Bo needed him, but greeted the blonde in his usual manner. He could see that the staff had already brought up coffee, so he crawled out of bed and helped himself. Bo accepted the cup he handed him, but didn't show any interest in drinking it. He was too busy staring._

_When Luke was dressed and ready, he helped his cousin do the same. Despite the fact that they'd all had showers, their clothes were already sticking to them due to the oppressive heat and humidity by the time they joined everyone downstairs. Normal temperatures for that time of year were much cooler. Knowing that the house would see people coming and going all day, about nine-thirty the staff members started closing the windows, preparing to turn on the air conditioning. When they went outside to get in the car a half-hour later, the rain started pouring. By the time they got to the church, the sun was out again. As they prepared to go to the gravesite, the rain started again, but while en route, the sun came out and bore down on them viciously. Once they got to the gravesite, the sky clouded over, and that's how it had remained the rest of the afternoon._

_The Mavericks obviously had a long blood line. Not too many families had their own personal cemeteries on their property, but these people did. There were probably about thirty to forty final resting places in the enclosed area that sat on a hill overlooking the house on one side and the ranch on the other. If the circumstances had been different, it would have made a perfect picture that depicted Americana in its glory. Today, no one was interested in the scenery. Their eyes were focused on what was taking place in front of them._

_The three brothers stood shoulder to shoulder on one side of the grave; the Dukes stood opposite them on the other. People crowded around them, trying to fit into the small enclosed area, but there were too many to all fit. Some of the guests wishing to pay their respects had been forced to do so outside the fence._

_The preacher said some lovely words about how Sandy had been loved and would be missed, the gift she had of healing, and the devotion she had given to her family and patients. That comment almost got a tear to slip for Bo, but he bit it back, not wanting to fall apart just yet. He was living proof of that remark, and many of her other patients had made the trip to say goodbye, too. Bo wasn't the only one that owed his life to her, maybe not in terms of physically breathing, but in actually living. Now, he wondered why God had given him that gift, only to take it away again, because he doubted he'd ever really live again. His body had survived through one shooting, only for his spirit to be killed by another._

_Bo returned to the present only to realize that he had missed the rest of what the preacher had to say. He was done talking. One by one those who knew and loved Sandy said goodbye, throwing flowers on top of the casket and walking away until the only mourners left were her brothers and the Dukes. Everyone else was waiting outside the gate, giving them a few minutes of privacy._

_Jesse and Daisy stepped forward first, completing their ritual, then moved to the side to wait for the rest of their family. Luke nudged Bo forward, throwing his own rose first. Bo held his for a few minutes. He had a rose in his hand, but after seeing the preserved Camellia in her room and remembering how much she said she liked them, he wished he had one of those instead. Bo opened his hand and let the flower fall, watching it float downward. Joining Daisy and Jesse at the gate, the Dukes left the brothers to say their own goodbyes._

_As the afternoon wore on, the house started emptying; respects had been paid and rituals completed. Now, there was nothing left to do but remember. Bo felt like he was smothering, he couldn't breathe and he had to get out. Ripping his tie loose, he snuck out the back door, this time purposely slipping away. He knew exactly where he wanted to be regardless of whether it was raining or not._

_Bo hadn't realized it was quite as long of a walk as it was. When he'd been there earlier, they had driven, and since you could see the house, he'd assumed it wasn't all that far. Now, he found he was wrong. He looked out over the landscape as he reached the hill's peak. The ranch went on as far as the eye could see. A stray cow or bull occasionally came into view, soon to be herded back to where it belonged by someone on a horse. Finally, he reached his destination, only to find he wasn't alone there._

_Tim looked up, surprised that someone would have gotten the same idea. "Hi Bo."_

_"Hi."_

_"Couldn't take it in the house anymore," Tim mused. "I felt like I couldn't breathe."_

_"Me too."_

_Though still crying, Tim gave a small smile. "Sandy said that you reminded her of me, or I reminded her of you, depending on how you looked at. Guess she was right."_

_For the first time in several days, Bo actually smiled, mirroring Timmy's. It was strange that they had both wound up in the same place at the exact same time._

_"She really loved you, ya know?" Tim stated._

_"She loved you, too."_

_"I know," Tim acknowledged, looking at the fresh mound of dirt._

_For a little while, the boys sat in silence. It was Tim that finally broke the quiet, sharing tidbits about his sister with the man that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Bo listened, filing the information away for later use, the way he'd stored the images from the pictures in her room the day before. Bo wanted to know everything, but knew that was impossible. They sat there for a long time, and Bo even laughed at a couple of the stories Tim had shared with him. He didn't know if he felt better or worse after listening for so long._

_Timmy was taking a breath, reloading, when Bo looked up at the sky. The weather here was sure weird, he thought to himself. "Sky looks real funny," he said._

_Tim hadn't been paying much attention, but now that he looked up, he knew that they needed to do something, fast. "We gotta get out of here," he said. "Come on." Unlike Bo, Tim hadn't walked. He'd ridden up on his horse. Climbing up on the saddle, he offered Bo a hand._

_"Hold on," Tim told Bo, as he prompted the horse to run as fast as he could. When they got closer to the house, they saw people running out._

_"Where they going?" Bo asked, as he slid off._

_"To the storm cave," Tim yelled over the now howling winds._

_Daisy and Uncle Jesse were among the evacuees when Bo caught up to them. "Where's Luke?" he asked, concerned that his cousin wasn't with them._

_"Can't find him. He went looking for you," Daisy screamed over the winds._

_"Oh no," Bo cried, not knowing where to look first. Telling Daisy and Jesse to go with the others, Bo's eyes were frantically searching. The wind was blowing so hard things were flying through the air, and Bo was scared. He wasn't prepared to lose his cousin in the same week that he'd lost his fiancee. Guided by a feeling, he glanced toward the hill he'd just returned from. Looking closer, he could make out a form. "Luke!" he yelled, taking off in the direction of the person he knew was his oldest cousin, in spite of everyone else telling him to get inside. "Luke!" he screamed, running as fast as he could toward him, while Luke was running just as fast toward Bo._

_When they caught up with each other, they turned toward the shelter everyone else was seeking protection in.. The sky was a sickening green color like they'd never seen before and the clouds looked angry. They hadn't gotten too far when they heard a loud roaring. Knowing that they weren't going to make it to the designated area, Luke spotted a ditch not too far away._

_"There," he yelled and pointed, in case Bo couldn't hear. They jumped into the gully as the roaring got louder._

_Instead of covering his head like he was supposed to, Bo peered over the top of the ridge. Off in the distance, he saw the cyclone. It was on the ground, but he was unable to tell exactly what direction it was moving. He'd never seen anything like it in his life, and he remembered Sandy's description of being chased by a black monster. It was accurate. "Sandy!" he said, almost taking comfort in the tornado's presence. It just wasn't possible that a twister touched down on the Maverick property on the very day of her funeral by sheer coincidence . He knew that it was her way of telling him that she wasn't really gone, and despite the proximity of the tornado, Bo wasn't scared. He knew it wouldn't hurt him._

_Luke, on the other hand, was. "Get down!" he yelled, yanking the blonde under the ravine. Bo and Luke covered each other as dirt and debris rained down on them. Then as quickly as it came, it was gone. It was quiet, and though it was still raining a little, the sky was just a normal, rainy gray, no longer a sickening green._

_Shaking the junk off of them, they looked at each other. "You ok?" they both asked in unison. "Yeah," they both answered the same way. Luke looked at his cousin, not wanting to say what he was thinking. He, too, thought it was just a little weird to have a tornado on that day._

_Climbing out of the ditch, they walked back to the house, observing that it looked to be unharmed. The door to the storm cellar opened, and a very frightened Daisy and Uncle Jesse were the first ones out the door. Seeing the boys, they ran to them, asking if they were ok. The cousins assured them that they were fine, though they did resemble drowned rats._

_The Dukes weren't the only ones that had been worried about the boys. Timmy and Tommy Maverick, along with staff members and friends who were still there gathered around them. As a meteorologist, Bobby Maverick had went in search of a front row seat. Tommy suggested they get out of their wet clothes and take a hot shower. It was hard to believe that with as hot as it had been all day, they could actually be cold, but the rain and hail that pelleted them had been freezing and hard, and now the air was cool and dry. A hot shower sounded good._

* * *

Bo was in a robe provided by the Mavericks. He sat on a small couch in his room, with his head back and his eyes closed when Luke opened the door. He was dressed in a similar robe, and was towel drying his hair. Sitting down on the couch next to his cousin, he put his hand on his knee. "You ok?" he asked.

Bo gave a snort. "Unusual weather we're having," he scoffed, and Luke had to smile.

"Yeah," he agreed. "You know I heard on the TV when you were in the shower that this has been the largest outbreak of tornadoes in a single day this late in the season in Texas, ever."

"Sandy's got friends," Bo said, trying to make a joke, but choking on the words instead.

Luke pulled him into his arms. He'd done this several times over the last few days, but Bo had managed to maintain an eerie sense of composure. The oldest cousin was worried that the boy still hadn't cried yet. As Luke held him today, he could feel the breakdown coming. The breathing was fast, but he could feel Bo still trying to hold it back.

"It's ok, Bo," he told him, and that led to the shoulders shaking. "Let it out. You've gotta let it out," he told him, and that was Bo's cue to break down. He'd kept it together to get through the funeral, but with the tornado and everything else, he just couldn't do it any longer. He cried for over two hours non-stop, and Luke just held him. Jesse had come by once to check on them. When he opened the door, he was relieved to see that Luke had finally gotten his cousin to release some of his anguish. Luke glanced at his uncle, who nodded in response, silently telling him that he'd make sure no one else disturbed them until Bo was ready.

"I think you're as wet as you were this afternoon," Bo sniffled into Luke's robe.

"Not hardly," Luke replied, "and at least you don't come with debris."

Bo chuckled, and Luke could tell that he felt a little better already.

"You ready to go downstairs for a little while?" he asked.

"Yeah, I suppose we better, since we're leaving in the morning."

"I'm gonna get dressed. Luke said, giving him one more hug before releasing him.

"Yeah," he replied. "Hey Luke?" Bo called, and Luke stuck his head back inside the bedroom. "Thanks."

"No problem, cuz."

A/N - This is not the last chapter. There is one more, and I'll try to have it up within the next couple of days. I've got a couple of things to add to it that's just crept up along the way.


	19. Chapter 19

Bo sat on the steps waiting for his cousin to pick him up. Luke had needed the General, so he'd dropped Bo off with a promise to pick him up later. The blonde wasn't worried. He hadn't been there long, and Luke was as dependable as they came. He'd be there. Just as he told himself that he heard the powerful engine of the General, though still a little ways away, even before he saw it. Luke slid the car to a stop.

"You wanna drive?"

"Na cuz, you go right ahead," Bo told him, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Hard day?" Luke asked, noticing that Bo had his head back and eyes closed.

"Not really," Bo said, turning to face him and giving him a smile. Luke had always been a worrier, but as he was getting older, he was perfecting it. Bo guessed that he'd given his oldest cousin enough things to worry about over the years, and he was now old enough to feel bad about it.

Accepting the answer on face value, Luke pressed the gas and they were off.

It had been a little over three years since Luke had almost lost his cousin to a crook who had taken a pot shot at them, two since Bo had lost the woman he loved to another bullet fired by a deranged would-be lover. A lot had happened in that time, and a lot had changed, most of all Bo.

Grief stricken didn't even begin to describe Bo following Sandy's death. The days before the funeral he had been catatonic. Then, when he'd finally broken down in that room in the Maverick household, he'd gotten so far down that the Dukes wondered if he'd ever recover. It had been a cruel twist of fate: surviving death, learning how to live again, finding love, and then having it ripped away before it had really even begun. Most people might have given up, but Bo didn't, just like he hadn't given up when he thought he might never walk or talk again. He admitted that he wanted to, both times, but his family and Sandy wouldn't let him, either time. Bo said that regardless of how he felt, he believed that everything happened for a reason. He believed he'd been shot so that he could learn how to live, really live, and to meet Sandy. He couldn't believe that God would have sent her to him, then taken her away without having some higher purpose in mind. He must have had a plan for Bo Duke.

Unfortunately, Bo didn't know what that plan was for a while. The only thing he knew was that he couldn't give up no matter how much he wanted to. His family had stood by him through everything, and he knew that giving up would hurt them. He also knew that Sandy would have killed him, saying she didn't retrain him on everything only to have him throw it all away. So he had to go on, he didn't have a choice.

In the days following Sandy's murder, Billy Ray proved himself to be as much a menace to society from behind bars as he'd been when he was free. As the heir to the largest oil fortune in Texas, his name alone was enough to ignite a wildfire of activity. Outsiders converged upon Hazzard county in droves beginning with the convoy of fancy cars occupied by the high-priced attorneys he hired to defend him. The media wasn't far behind. By the time the Dukes returned from Texas, the normally quiet roads surrounding Hazzard that normally only saw an occasional chase of the General Lee needed a traffic cop. Hazzard Square was bumper to bumper, and drivers found themselves fighting over parking spaces. There wasn't a vacant hotel room for miles, affecting occupancy as far away as Capitol City, and local diners had customers lined up outside.

Boss Hogg and Rosco should have been ecstatic. The names Rosco P. Coltrane and Enos Strate were gaining national attention as the two diligent law enforcement officials who apprehended the notorious billionaire. Hazzard's sheriff handled the publicity surprisingly well, reverting back to the days when he'd been an honest and a good lawman. He represented himself and the county in a respectable manner, and Hazzard, Georgia found its way onto the map.

Of course, Boss Hogg had to stake his own claim to fame, but forgoing his usual habit of capitalizing on a situation for his own gain, he followed Rosco's lead and presented an image of a concerned and competent County Commissioner. Behind the scenes, Boss was delighted. All the visitors were good for the economy, and since he owned almost everything, he stood to profit legally. No one could have ever guessed that things would get so far out of hand.

Because the crime took place in Hazzard, Rosco had the choice to keep Billy Ray locked up or to transfer him to a larger facility. The Hazzard County Jail wasn't really designed to accommodate the FBI's most wanted or long-term prisoners. Except for the local rowdies, most criminal were transferred. Billy Ray, however, wasn't most criminals. He was Hazzard's first murderer in over twenty-five years, and his crime, had in essence, claimed one of their own. Sandy Maverick may not have been from Hazzard, but she was about to marry a Duke and that made her a local in everyone's eyes. Knowing that her killer was accustomed to a lifestyle that wealth could provide, Rosco decided to extract his own justice. Being held in his jail, Billy Ray would be anything but comfortable.

Though it started out as a valiant effort to provide a little southern revenge, it quickly spiraled out of control. Billy Ray's lawyers filed motion after motion, drawing attention away from the actual crime, finally winning a motion for a change of venue. For the sake of public appearance, Boss, Rosco, and Hazzard's County Attorney fought it, knowing that they'd lose and relieved when they did.

Relinquishing custody of the accused, Billy Ray was transferred to Atlanta, where the legal antics continued. The game wasn't really about winning the case. It didn't take several of the country's brightest attorneys to know that wasn't going to happen. Finding 12 impartial jurors in Hazzard might not have been possible, but even 12 impartial jurors in Atlanta could only draw one logical conclusion: guilty. The shenanigans were simply a way to exasperate the prosecution into a plea.

Billy Ray might not have been bright enough to commit his crime without the presence of a few hundred witnesses, but he hadn't been dumb enough to pull the trigger in Texas, either. His and Sandy's home state dished out the death penalty like candy, and had no problem carrying it out. In an ironic coincidence, committing an offense punishable by death in the state who's very laws had prompted a several year moratorium on the punishment, sentences were no longer carried out as quickly in Georgia. At the very least, Billy Ray had increased his life span by several years by choosing Hazzard over Texas.

As their bag of tricks were depleted, the legal eagles eventually begged for a guilty plea in exchange for a life sentence. The prosecutor knew that he had an open and shut case, and wasn't in a position to have to agree, though it would save the taxpayers the expense of going through a trial. He didn't feel the decision was his to make. He needed to speak to the Dukes and the Mavericks.

The two oldest Maverick brothers, along with Luke Duke, were in agreement; they wanted Billy Ray to fry. However, neither Timmy or Bo were doing that well, and their need for justice was quickly outweighed by the need to do what was right for the youngest members of each family. They didn't think that either of the boys could handle a trail where they would have had to relive the ordeal.

Bo summed it up best, saying that killing Billy Ray wasn't going to bring back Sandy. He then added that since they'd been forced to live with the pain, Billy Ray should be forced to do the same. Living in prison was no picnic, especially for a billionaire, and Bo thought that punishment was more befitting. Timmy agreed, and Billy Ray was transferred to the Georgia state penitentiary to live out the rest of his natural life. Sandy's case was officially closed, and that's when Bo found himself at a crossroads.

He felt the pain everyday, but following what was being done in the name of justice had given him something to concentrate on. When it was over, he didn't know what to do, wondering which way to go. He'd promised his family that he wouldn't do anything to hurt himself because he loved them too much. Yet, the pain was always there, and in some ways he felt guilty at the thought of going on. The days weren't so bad; there was work to do and he could keep busy. At night, he found himself gazing to the heavens hoping that Sandy really was looking down on him. In between, his friends and family were there when he needed them. Despite feeling guilty, he had to go on. As long as he lived and breathed, his body wasn't giving him a choice. Yet, there was an emptiness inside him that he doubted would ever be filled, and an ache that would never go away.

"Bo?" his uncle called to him.

"Yeah, Uncle Jesse?" Bo yelled back from the barn.

"Bo, I hate to ask you to do this, but that was the parts manager at Tractor Heaven in Atlanta on the phone," he informed his youngest. "The part's in," he said somewhat sheepishly.

"And you want me to go get it?" Bo asked, grinning.

"Well, yeah. We really do need it, and while I wish Luke was here to go with you, I just can't wait for it any longer."

"I'm gone," Bo told him, digging out the keys to the General.

Luckily, Luke had gotten a ride with Daisy that morning despite Bo telling him that he wouldn't be needing their car. One of their neighbors had taken ill, and the Dukes volunteered to help out. Jesse informed the boys that he needed one of them to stay and help him, so they drew straws to see who would go. Luke won, since they both knew that Jesse was harder to work for than any neighbor could be. Grinning at his cousin as he climbed in with Daisy, he told him to have a good day. Bo thanked him for his concern.

An hour and a half later, the General was parked in front of the store in Atlanta, and the part was securely tucked inside the trunk. Bo raised his hand to his forehead, wiping away the beads of sweat before they could slide into his eyes. His blonde hair was already soaked and matted to his head. Regardless of the fact that it wasn't even noon, it was already almost one hundred degrees. It was one of the hottest days Bo could ever remember. When he lowered his hand, his eye spotted the small convenience shop located on the opposite side of the street. "A cold drink for the ride home sure sounds good," he told himself. Reaching into his pocket for a dollar, Bo wandered over to the store trying to decide what beverage sounded best.

A few minutes later, he stepped back out in the heat, having already removed the top and gulping down nearly half of the bottle of Coke. When he stopped to replace the cap, he saw something standing next to the General, or rather someone. Bo's feet remained glued in place as his eyes stared straight ahead. A little girl with long, auburn hair was standing next to General Lee. She looked right at him and smiled, and Bo gasped as he caught the unmistakable emerald eyes. It was like looking at a small version of Sandy, and Bo couldn't help but wonder if that's what their little girl might have looked like, if they'd married and had one. For several minutes, Bo could do nothing but gawk. Finally, having to know who she was and why she was standing next to the General, he moved. When his foot left the curb, the little girl turned and ran.

"Wait!" Bo called to her, dodging cars to try to catch her. She rounded the corner, and Bo took off in hot pursuit. He kept up with her as she rounded another corner, but could never quite catch her. When Bo flew around the third one, she was no longer in sight. He turned in every direction to try and see where she'd went, but it was like she had disappeared into thin air. Bo stopped to catch his breath, continuing to sweep the area. Half way down the block, he saw a crowd of people gathered, looking up at something. Wondering if the little girl may have ran to someone in the crowd, Bo decided to join them. Only when he realized that she wasn't there, did he stop to look up.

Directly in front of him was a five story building, and something was sticking over the edge at the top.

"What's going on?" he asked the person he was standing next to.

"Someone's gonna jump," the lady replied.

Though Bo didn't actually see a person, he could only assume that there must be some truth to that assumption. Otherwise, there wouldn't be any reason for everyone to be standing there watching.

The police and emergency vehicles had been called, but hadn't arrived yet. The only ones on the scene were the on-lookers on the ground, and whoever was on the roof of that building. Never being one to think or wait, Bo decided to see what he could do. The building was older and had an attached fire escape on the side. He and Luke had scaled buildings hundreds of times in Hazzard, either running from or getting to a required destination. Not thinking twice, he climbed the rungs until he was able to peer over the top. He couldn't believe what he saw.

Several people were already on the roof, trying to talk the jumper. When Bo looked to see who it was that wanted to fall to their death, his heart almost stopped. What he had seen hanging over the edge was part of a wheel, and it was attached to a wheelchair. The occupant of the chair was a blonde boy, not more than ten or eleven years old, and he looked enough like Bo to have been his own son. Bo listened as those around him tried to talk him into coming away from the edge.

"Johnny, please don't do this," a young woman begged as she took a step closer. "Do you know how much this would hurt your mom and dad?"

"It'll hurt em more having to take care of me like this for the rest of my life," the little boy sobbed.

"Johnny, you won't be in that chair for the rest of your life."

"Yes, I will! I just know it!" he screamed back.

"Johnny, your spinal chord wasn't severed honey. There's no reason why you shouldn't be able to learn to walk again."

"But, I'll never play ball!" he screamed, as the tears rolled down his cheek.

"You don't know that for sure, Johnny," the lady told him.

"You don't either!" he accused.

"No, I don't, but don't you think you should at least try before you do something like this?"

"Don't want to try! It won't work, anyhow. I know!" he cried, placing his hands on the wheels as if he was getting ready to roll them off the roof.

"Johnny!" the lady called.

"Don't come any closer," he told her, now having one wheel balancing precariously.

"Okay, okay!" she said, stopping and raising her hands in the air.

Bo listened to the entire exchange, getting a sense of de ja vu. Waving his finger slightly, he managed to attract the attention of the woman who was trying to coax Johnny down. From the corner of her eye, she looked at him, trying not to give him away. He motioned to her that he was going to do something, though she couldn't quite follow what it was. Nodding slightly, she was willing to try almost anything, feeling like she was losing the battle.

A few feet below the rooftop was a ledge. What the original purpose of it had been, Bo didn't know. It was an older building, so he didn't understand if it had a practical purpose or was simply a place to set decorative pots with flowers. At the moment, he didn't care. It was narrow, but wide enough that he could slide along it while still holding onto the top. As long as he was careful, he should be fine, but one error in judgment would have sent him splattering to the ground, providing a cushion for Johnny should he decide to follow. As he started his trek, the crowd below gasped.

When he was just a few feet away from the teetering wheel, Bo looked at the lady over the top. He needed a momentary distraction so that Johnny wouldn't see him. Whoever she was, she was bright and she understood exactly what she needed to do. She started talking to the boy about the things they were going to do to get him out of that chair, making sure to motion with her hands so that he would not only listen, but watch. Bo winked at her, then took the last few steps. Holding himself with one hand, he reached out with the other and pushed the wheel back as hard as he could. It worked, but the force knocked it and Johnny to the floor of the roof, and caused Bo to loose his own footing. The crowd let out a loud cry as Bo tried to hold himself up while placing his feet back on the narrow sliver of concrete. Several people rushed to Johnny, while a few others rushed to help Bo. Between all of them, Bo regained his balance and was pulled up to the roof, where he laid for a few minutes not too far away from the boy.

An hour later, Bo found himself in a small office. He had given his statement to the officers who arrived shortly after he had been escorted off of the roof. The minutes following the incident had left him shaken, only then beginning to get his breathing back under control. He'd spoken to well-wishers, congratulators, and the press as well as the officers who were trying to piece together exactly what happened. Bo told them that he didn't know what had transpired prior to his involvement. He'd been searching for a phantom child with auburn hair when he came upon the scene. He decided to leave that part out of his statement lest they decide to lock him up. Now, he was sitting alone, unsure as to what to do next, still not even knowing where he was. He had been hustled into the little room via a stairwell, and in all the commotion, he hadn't asked.

The door opened, and his partner from the roof stepped inside. She was tall, with shoulder length black hair and hazel eyes. She appeared to be about Bo's age, and he noted that she looked a lot better than she had the last time he'd seen her. She smiled at him, as she handed him a cup of coffee, then took a seat behind the desk.

"We haven't been introduced, yet. My name is Nicole, and I just wanted to thank you for what you did today."

Bo nodded, smiling back. "That's ok. My name's Bo."

"You really were wonderful," she told him.

"It was nothing," Bo shrugged.

"Oh no, it was something," she assured him, pausing a moment as she scrutinized him. "Well, I'm sure that the officers have your contact information should they need to speak with you further. I don't think we'll be needing it, but if we do, I should be getting a copy of the report. I'd like to thank you again, and let you know that you're free to go."

"How's the boy?" Bo asked.

"Johnny? He's settled in his bed, but he's still upset."

"What happened to him?" Bo asked.

"He was in a car accident."

"Can I see him?" Bo asked.

"Well, I don't know..."

"Please?" Bo asked again.

"Okay," Nicole agreed, though it was against her professional judgment. Something about the good Samaritan told her to trust him.

She led Bo to an elevator, then walked him down a corridor to the room where the little boy was. Passing by all the rooms, Bo assumed he was in a hospital.

"He's in there," Nicole told him, pointing to the small figure in the bed.

Bo nodded, then thanked her. Telling herself that she really didn't know him, she decided to wait outside the door.

"Hi!" Bo said to the little boy, taking a seat in the chair beside the bed.

Johnny's blue eyes looked up at him, but it was obvious he wasn't happy to see him. "Who are you?"

"My name's Bo."

"What do you want? Haven't you done enough already?"

"I just wanted to see if you were ok," Bo said, ignoring the accusation.

"Does it look like I'm ok?" the boy asked sarcastically.

"Well, now that you mention it, yeah, it looks like you're fine."

Johnny glared at him. That wasn't the answer he was expecting. "Well, I'm not, and you wouldn't be either if you weren't ever going to walk again."

"Son, I understand how you feel. Really, I do...," Bo tried to tell him, but was cut off.

"No you don't! How could you?" Johnny yelled, turning his head away from Bo to hide the tears.

Bo took a deep breath, wondering what to do. Suddenly remembering something, he stood up and removed his wallet from his back pocket. "Johnny, let me show you something," he told the boy, walking over to the bed and holding up the photograph. Johnny turned his head and glanced at it. It took a minute, but he finally took it from Bo's hand as he looked up to the man who had saved his life.

"Is this you?" Johnny asked.

"It sure is. So you see, I do understand what you're feeling."

"You couldn't walk, either?" Johnny asked.

"Nope!" Bo replied, "and I was in worse shape than you, cause I couldn't use my hands or arms, and I couldn't talk."

"What happened to you?" Johnny asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"I got shot."

"Really? Are you a policeman?"

"No," Bo laughed. "I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"But...but...you look fine now! You crawled all the way up the side of the building!" Johnny exclaimed, as if Bo needed to be reminded.

"Yep, and if you work real hard, it sounds like you'll be able to do those things, too."

Bo talked to Johnny for a long time, and the boy began developing an almost hero-worship toward him. By the time they were finished, Johnny promised that he would work real hard so that just like Bo, he would get better, too. He wanted to be a ball player, and seeing Bo, he began to believe that it just might be possible.

"Well son, I really gotta get going. My uncle sent me here for a part hours ago, and he's gonna wonder where I've been. He can still tan my hide if he wants."

Johnny laughed at the thought that his new hero could still be spanked. As he handed the picture back to Bo, he asked who the lady was in the picture with him.

"She was my therapist," Bo informed him.

"She's pretty," Johnny said.

"Yes, she is," Bo agreed, trying to control the sob that he felt coming. "Well, Johnny, I gotta go. You work hard and take care of yourself, okay partner?"

"Okay! Hey Bo?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you come back and see me?"

Bo smiled. "Sure! And I'll tell you what, you work hard and get better, and I'll give you a ride in my car, the General Lee. It's a racing car with welded doors and everything. Fastest car in Georgia."

"Really?" Johnny asked.

"Really!"

When Bo stepped out of the room, he was surprised to find Nicole waiting for him. She smiled at him, and suddenly he felt embarrassed.

"You were wonderful with him. He's been here for a month, and no one's gotten anywhere yet."

"That's probably cause I do know exactly how he feels."

Nicole listened to Bo's story, then made a suggestion.

Some people walk into churches and say that they are guided by a higher being. Bo looked up and found himself in front of a rehabilitation center, guided there by a little girl with auburn hair.

He found a way to honor Sandy's memory, and to channel all his own sorrow. She was gone, but her spirit, her desire to still help was still there, and Bo decided to funnel it through himself.

He looked around at all the people at the center, and reminded himself that he was once in that same condition. Had it not been for the love of his family, he may have still been a resident in one. If anyone could understand what their patients were feeling, it was him. He could not only understand, but he could provide them with hope, not just in words, but as living proof that all things were possible.

After accepting Nicole's invitation, he was provided training, and began volunteering a few times a week as a guidance, grief, spiritual counselor, and friend all rolled into one. He'd always been emotional and compassionate, that came naturally. Just as Sandy had for him, he could look past a patient's current condition and see the person that they used to be, and using himself as an example, knew what they could be in the future. He talked to them as if they weren't handicapped or hurt, and just as people responded to Sandy, they responded to Bo. He talked to all the new patients, then worked with the ones that either requested him or that the staff assigned him to. After so long, most of the residents knew him and loved him, and the staff did, too, but they weren't the only ones that were benefiting from his visits. In helping others, Bo was helping himself.

Though not a therapist of the medical kind, the youngest Duke soon discovered that he wasn't only honoring Sandy's memory, but that he was keeping her memory alive, and that felt great. Watching the people that he was working with get better was helping him to heal. Sharing his own experiences may have provided inspiration to the residents at the center, but he was learning from them, too. It didn't take long to figure out that he wasn't the only one who had ever dealt with loss. He was making friends, and not just with the patients.

Bo learned that Nicole Sampson was the center's administrator, and though she didn't work one on one in the therapy rooms, she was kind and caring. She had recently moved to Atlanta from Boston, needing a change after her own husband of two years and the child she'd been carrying were killed by a drunk driver late one Friday night. The two quickly became friends, knowing that the other understood. It was a new experience for Bo, being friends with a female, but it was exactly what they both needed. Neither of them were ready to move forward in that department, so there wasn't any pressure. They shared an easy and comfortable relationship, able to talk, laugh, cry, and enjoy each other's company without any strings attached. It also provided them a safe haven when one needed an escort of the opposite sex. No one was sure exactly what their relationship was, but it kept the well wishers from trying to fix them up with others. Bo liked her, and in the past few weeks, he'd found himself looking at her a little differently, and he'd caught her looking at him. Whatever happened, he knew they'd take it slow. It had taken a long time to even be able to think about a future with someone else, something he'd never thought he'd ever be able to do; now, he believed it might be possible, some day.

Luke glanced over at his cousin, knowing he was tired. The work he did at the center could be rewarding, but there were days that it could take a lot out of Bo. This looked like one of those days. Thinking that his cousin was asleep, he turned on the radio.

He didn't think much of the new song that was playing. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it. When the singer got to the chorus, Luke almost lost control of the General. Suddenly, he knew why it sounded familiar. He had heard it before, but only once, the night before Bo's life had changed. The singer was singing about his little Texas Twister, and it was none other than Sandy's own brother, Timmy. Luke didn't know whether to turn the radio off before Bo woke up and heard it or to try to pretend that he hadn't noticed. Before he could decide, he saw Bo's eyes fly open. Seemed he hadn't been asleep after all.

It was too late. Bo had heard it, and Luke didn't dare turn it off. He looked over at Bo, who stared at the radio for a while before turning his head to look out the window. He wasn't able to completely hide his face, and Luke saw a couple of tears running down his cheek. He knew that Bo was probably trying to hide them from him, still embarrassed at times when he showed weakness, though there was no need to be. Bo's ability to feel was one of the things that Luke loved most about his cousin, and had actually envied about him for most of their lives. All he could now was to lay a comforting hand on Bo's shoulder. He wasn't expecting it, but Bo reached over and laid his hand on top of Luke's. They listened to the rest of the song in silence, and then heard the DJ announce that the artist was an up and coming Tim Maverick. Luke gave Bo's shoulder a squeeze before returning his hand to the steering wheel.

Bo turned to face forward again, sliding his hand over his face to wipe away the evidence that he knew Luke had already seen.

"Bo?" Luke asked.

"Huh?" he responded, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"I'm proud of you, Bo," he told him, causing the blonde to turn and look at him, somewhat surprised by the statement, but pleased. Then Luke added, "and she would be, too."

Bo gave him a smile larger than the state of Texas. "Thanks, Luke. Now let's get home. Uncle Jesse's making crawdad bisque for dinner."

Luke hit the accelerator a little more and the dirt kicked up as they saw the sign welcoming them home. Things were normal, or as normal as they could get in Hazzard.


End file.
